Bhubaneswar: The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has reaffirmed its hegemony and scored a resounding victory in the second phase of urban local body (ULB) polls in western Odisha by winning a clear majority in 15 municipalities and notified area councils (NACs).
The Opposition Congress, which is crippled by intra-party spat among its senior leaders in the state and the recent clear evidence of which was the announcement of floating a new political outfit by expelled senior leader Soumya Ranjan Patnaik, has managed to score majority only in Barpali NAC of Bargarh district.
On the other hand, continuing its dismal show this time too, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured majority only in Patnagarh NAC of Bolangir district.
On the victory of his party, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said, "Especially I would like thank all the people who have voted for the Biju Janata Dal for such a huge victory in these urban elections and also like to thank the leaders and workers of the party for having worked so hard during these elections. This is a tremendous victory for our party in western Odisha."
In Bargarh municipality (Bargarh district), BJD has won 15 wards while Congress and BJP have captured two and one seats respectively.
Similarly, in Kantabanji NAC of Bolangir district, the ruling party has won 12 out of 16 wards. It captured 9 out of 11 seats in Deogarh municipality (Deogarh district).
Interestingly, there is no clear majority to any of the parties in 20-ward Rajgangpur municipality of Sundargarh district, as the ruling party won 10 wards, two went in favour of Congress, three for BJP & independent candidates claimed five seats.
In Khariar NAC of Nuapada district, both BJD and Congress won six each out of 13 wards.
Billed as the semi-finals ahead of the forthcoming assembly elections, BJD is showing clear signs of returning to power in Odisha if the ULB results are anything to go by, indicating the voters' mood in the state.
In the first phase of ULB polls held on September 19, of the 65 urban local bodies, the BJD secured a majority in as many as 41 ULBs, while Congress won a majority in 10 civic bodies, and Independents managed to win in a majority of wards in two ULBs.
Poll Result
BJD
Bhawanipatna municipality of Kalanadi dist
Sundargarh municipality of Sundargarh dist
Binka NAC of Subarnapur dist
Khariar Road NAC of Nuapada dist
Tarabha NAC of Subarnapur dist
Junagarh NAC of Kalahandi dist
Bargarh municipality of Bargarh dist
Biramitrapur municipality of Sundergarh dist
Kuchinda NAC of Sambalpur dist
Sonepur municipality of Subarnapur dist
Kantabanji NAC of Bolangir dist
Deogarh municipality of Deogarh dist
Patnagarh NAC of Bolangir dist
Jharsuguda municipality of Jharsuguda dist
Brajarajnagar municipality of Jharsuguda dist
Congress
Barpali NAC of Bargarh dist
BJP
Patnagarh NAC of Bolangir district
No clear picture
Majority to none in Rajgangpur municipality of Sundergarh dist. BJD-10, Congress-2, BJP-3 & Others-5
Majority to none in Kesinga NAC of Kalahandi dist. Congress- 5, BJP- 4 & BJD-3
BJD, Congress get 6 each out of 13 seats in Khariar NAC of Nuapada dist