Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janta Dal (BJD) registered a thumping victory in the civic polls in Baliguda and Champua Notified Area Councils (NAC) winning nine wards each in the two newly created NACs on Thursday.
In Baliguda NAC of Kandhamal district, BJD won nine out of 13 wards whereas Congress and BJP managed to grab three and one seat, respectively.
Similarly in Champua NAC of Keonjhar district, BJD registered victory in nine out of 13 wards whereas independent got four seats. BJP and Congress failed to open their accounts in Champua NAC polls.
Slamming the ruling BJD for adopting unfair practices in the polls, Congress chief whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati said, “The ruling party has adopted all unscrupulous means to win the polls. We had tried our best but could not succeed. No political party can sustain in the political atmosphere created by BJD.”
To the allegation of Congress the BJD said, the voters have given them the reply.
“Whatever the case may be, you will find an allegation from Congress always. In today’s poll verdict, the voters of both the constituencies have given fitting reply to the party. And I am sure that the people of Odisha will always be with chief minister Naveen Patnaik,” BJD’s Anant Das said.
BJP spokesperson Sajjan Singh however stated that his party has conceded the defeat.
“When there is a by-poll, the poll verdict goes in favour of the ruling party and there is nothing new in it. We will take this poll result in a sportsman spirit and will try to perform better in the coming days,” Singh noted.
Earlier in the day counting of votes for the elections to the two newly-constituted NACs began at 8 am. The polling was held on January 19.
The Congress, BJD and BJP had fielded candidates for all 13 wards in Baliguda while three persons contested the polls as independent candidates. The BJD and BJP had fielded candidates in all 13 wards in Champua while the Congress had fielded eight. Besides, seven persons contested as independent candidates.
Voters turned out in large numbers for the first ever elections to the newly-formed Baliguda and Champua Notified Area Councils (NACs), each with 13 wards on Tuesday.
While seventy four per cent of voters exercised their franchise in Baliguada, the turnout was even bigger at Champua at 83 per cent. A total of 12,764 voters cast their votes in 16 booths in Baliguda while 9508 voters exercised their franchise in 13 booths in Champua.