Bhubaneswar: After a high percentage of voter turnout during the Bijepur bypoll, all eyes are now on the counting of votes which is scheduled to be held on October 24. Whether the results spring a surprise or be a one-sided affair will be known only after the counting of votes which will kick off day after at RMC Padampur Market Aid premises at 8 AM.
According to the office of CEO, byelection to Bijepur Assembly constituency had witnessed a voter turnout of 82 percent in 2018 while the turnout was 79 percent during the 2019 general elections.
However, CEO Sushil Lohani said that the total turnout in 2019 byelection was a notch higher at 79.17 percent, which according to him is quite high in comparision to the national standards.
"The counting of votes will be held on 14 tables under the supervision of one micro observer, counting supervisor and one assistant for each table. As many as 103 personnel will be engaged for counting of votes," informed Lohani.
Meanwhile, BJD leader and Minister Sushant Singh today exuded confidence that party candidate Rita Sahu will emerge victorious and get more votes than Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik got in the recently held elections. As per Singh, Sahu will get between 1,25,000 and 1,40,000 votes. CM Naveen had polled 1,10,000 votes from Bijepur.
“BJD will win with a thumping majority in the Bijepur bypoll,” said Singh.
BJP too claimed that its party candidate Sanat Gartia will surely win the Bijepur battle. “With the blessings of people, our candidate Sanat Gartia is going to win the byelection,” said Odisha BJP president, Basanta Panda.
Congress, on the other hand, was seen gushing in confidence and claimed that its party candidate will win with a margin of at least 2,000 to 3,000 votes. “BJD’s dream to win the byelection with a huge margin will not happen as our party candidate will win Bypoll by a margin of 2,000 to 3,000 votes,” said Congress leader Tara Prasad Bahinipati.