Post Municipal Poll Violence In Berhampur; Bikes Of Defeated BJP & Independent Candidates Ransacked

Tension prevailed at Gosani Nuagaon in Berhampur after unidentified miscreants allegedly unleashed terror outside the residents of BJP and independent candidates who lost the Odisha Municipal Elections, the results of which were announced on Saturday.

The miscreants reportedly pelted stones at the house of former corporator and independent candidate from ward no.12 Biren Patnaik and his wife Sasmita who was contesting for the corporator post from ward no 14. The couple had reportedly lost from their respective wards yesterday.

The couple’s house at LIG-94 at Brit Colony under Gosani Nuagaon police limits was reportedly attacked at around 3 am on Sunday. All the miscreants had arrived at the spot in a car and were under the influence of alcohol.

The miscreants also allegedly hurled abuses and ransacked the vehicles parked outside the couple’s residence. The independent candidate Biren Patnaik, who recorded the entire incident on his mobile phone, has sought for police protection following the attack.

It is alleged that several candidates were also allegedly threatened to withdraw their nominations ahead of the conduct of the polls on March 24.

It is pertinent to mention here that the results of 105 municipalities/notified area councils (NACs) and three municipal corporations of Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Berhampur were declared on Saturday.

The BJD has won chairperson seats in 73 municipalities/NACs and mayor seats in all three municipal corporations - Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Berhampur.

The BJP remained in the second position by winning 16 chairperson seats while Congress won 7 seats and independent candidates in nine. Similarly, out of 1,716 councillor seats in the 105 municipalities and NACs, the BJD has won 1,175 seats, BJP got 288, Congress - 134, BSP - 1, CPI - 1, and Independent - 117.