The BJP’s candidate Suryavanshi Suraj, son of former sitting MLA Bishnu Charan Sethi whose demise necessitated the bypoll, polled 80351 votes followed by BJD’s choice Abanti Das 70470, Congress’s pickup Baba Harekrushna Sethi 3561 and independent candidate Rajendra Das 8153. From the very first round of the counting, Suraj continued to lead.
The party workers celebrated the victory by distributing sweets and bursting crackers.
Dhamnagar has been regarded as the citadel of the BJP since it won twice in the recent past-Manmohan Samal in 2004 and Bishnu Charan Sethi in 2019.
But considering the winning trend of the ruling dispensation, it was discussed in the political corridors that the party might continue the charishma here too. But it received a setback when, BJP’s Suryavanshi Suraj came victorious. According to political analysts, the party had to pay the price for ignoring its leader Rajendra Das, who fought the election as an independent candidate.
The election to Dhamnagar by-election was held on November 3. While the constituency has around 2,38,417 voters including 1,23.038 males, 1,15,346 females and 33 transgenders, only 66.13 % voters turned out at 252 booths to cast votes. The counting began at 8.00 am on 14 tables in 18 rounds.
Even as five candidates are in the fray, a neck-and-neck contest among three candidates is expected. These candidates are Suryavanshi Suraj of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Abanti Das of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Rajendra Das, an independent candidate.
In the past elections, the BJP won twice in 2019 and 2004. While Bishnu Charan Sethi came victorious in 2019, Manmohan Samal won in 2004. In the 1995, 2000, 2009 and 2014 elections, the winning candidates were Jagannath Rout of Congress, Manas Ranjan Mallik, an independent candidate, Rajendra Das of BJD and Muktikanta Mandal of BJD respectively.
However, if the past trend of by-elections is any indication, the conch party is in a favourable position as its candidates scored a sweeping victory in the past four by-elections. Its candidates like Rita Sahu, Swarup Kumar Das, Bijay Shankar Das, Rudra Pratap Mohanty and Alaka Mohanty won Bijepur by-election in 2019 polling 73.86 votes, Balasore by-election in 2020 poling 51.8 per cent votes, Tirtol by-election in 2020 polling 51.91 per cent, Pipili by-election in 2021 polling 53.60 per cent and Brajarajnagar by-election in 2022 polling 61.25 per cent votes respectively.
While around 2,38,417 voters were to exercise their franchise this year, only 66.13 % voters turned out at 252 booths to cast votes.
The counting has started on 14 tables and will be done in 18 rounds. A three-tier security arrangement has been in place at the Sanskruti Bhawan near the Collector’s office where the counting is taking place.
Besides, a team of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is in the inner circle with teams of the Odisha State Armed Police Force and Odisha police being in the middle and outer circle respectively.
It is expected that the results will be known by 2 pm.
The fate of the candidates sealed in the EVM machines will be revealed tomorrow as the counting is all set to start from 8 am on Sunday.
For the counting of the votes polled through electronic voting machines (EVMs) at 252 polling booths, elaborate arrangements are in place at the Sanskruti Bhawan in Bhadrak. The counting will take place on 14 tables in as many as 18 rounds.
It is likely that the result will be known by 2 pm.
Since a strong contest was seen among the candidates in the fray, it is, as per the political pundits, very difficult to predict who will romp through.
The contest between BJD’s Abanti Sahu, BJP’s Suryabanshi Suraj and independent candidate Rajendra Das is said to be neck to neck.
However, the saffron party is hopeful that Suryabanshi Suraj will win the by-election by a huge margin, more than the margin by which his father late Bishnu Sethi won from the seat in 2019. At the same time, the ruling BJD party is also sanguine about its candidate’s victory.
However, even before the counting of votes, the grand old party has accepted its defeat.
The election to the Dhamnagar seat was necessitated by the sudden demise of sitting MLA Bishnu Charan Sethi. He was elected twice from two different constituencies in his native Bhadrak district. In 2000, he was elected from Chandbali Assembly constituency and in 2019, from Dhamnagar Assembly seat.
(Reported by Partha Sarathi Nayak from Bhadrak, OTV Bureau)
According to sources, polling parties have conducted rehearsal of voting on Wednesday. Meanwhile, EC has kept an eye on 110 sensitive polling booths.
Going by EC sources, polling will start at 7am and continue till 6pm. So far, poling parties have inspected EVM machines and checked Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) for the smooth conduct of the election. Around 2,38,417 voters including 1,23,038 males, 1,15,346 females and 33 transgenders will exercise their franchise at 252 booths to elect their candidate.
Out of 252 booths, web casting system has been put in place in 126 booths. Security arrangement has been beefed up at the sensitive polling booths.
As many as 1,000 police officials have been deployed at sensitive booths. Also, four central forces, 22 platoons of State Armed Force have been deployed to avoid untoward incidents during voting.
Bhadrak district Superintendent of Police Charan Singh visited sensitive booths on Wednesday and reviewed security arrangements.
Chief Electoral Officer, moreover, has asked voters to refrain from talking in 100 metre of the booths.
On basis of the complaints filed by different political outfits, police have registered five cases so far.
The polling personnel have assembled in Bhadrak District Collectorate and later dispersed for their respective polling booths.
Today, the polling party(s) will go to 247 polling booths while the remainder will go to five pink booths on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the administration has set up 10 model polling stations to make voting easy and pleasant in Dhamnagar and five model polling booths in Tihidi.
Webcasting will be done in 50 percent of booths. 106 booths have been identified as sensitive booths. Apart from webcasting, some micro-observers will also be deployed at these booths.
Meanwhile, reports of cash distribution to woo voters are coming every day. A few days after a sarpanch representative and 8 police officials including an SDPO and IIC were detained by villagers, a man was again detained today over distribution of money in Dalang panchayat.
A video of the incident has gone viral. In the video, a few women have gheraoed the man as they accuse him of distributing money to SHG women. In the video, we can also hear the youth admitting to giving cash to a few women.
The BJP's National General Secretary and State in-charge Arun Singh had earlier sent a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar which featured the names of 40 star campaigners for the upcoming by-poll.
Odisha BJP President Samir Mohanty along with three union ministers- Dharmendra Pradhan, Ashwini Vaishnaw, and Bisweswar Tudu has been listed as the star campaigner.
BJP National Vice-President Baijayant Panda, LoP Jayanarayan Mishra, and senior leaders Sunil Bansal, Sambit Patra, Jual Oram and Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi are also the star campaigners to woo the voters.
Senior BJP leader Late Bishnu Sethi had won the Dhamnagar Assembly constituency seat in 2019 by a margin of 4,625 votes by defeating the ruling BJD’s candidate, Rajendra Das.
The BJD has named Abanti Das who is currently serving as the Block Chairman of Tihidi as its candidate while Congress has chosen Baba Harekrushna Sethi to contest with BJP’s candidate Suryavanshi Suraj Sthitaprajna, son of Bishnu Sethi whose death has necessitated the bypoll.
On Thursday, hundreds of supporters of former MLA Rajendra Das gathered at his residence in Bhadrak town and were seen sloganeering ‘Raju Das Nahin Ta Vote Nahin’ (If there is no Raju Das, there would be no voting) all throughout the day.
Registering their dissatisfaction over Rajendra Das being sidelined, the former legislator’s supporters urged him to contest independently.
Even posts announcing that Das is contesting the by-poll independently are doing the rounds on social media platforms. This apart, a handwritten letter where Das has vented his ire for being ignored has also gone viral.
It is now discussed that the dissidence suppressed at the Chief Minister’s grievance cell has come to the fore in Bhadrak.
It is also discussed that the party has zeroed in on Abanti Das with an aim to avoid any unprecedented situation as two former MLAs Rajendra Das and Muktikanta Mandal have been at loggerheads.
But despite the best efforts of the party, the dissidence has finally been out in the open.
Seeing the situation going from bad to worse, a team of the conch party on Thursday did their level best to pacify Das and his disgruntled supporters.
“If the party had no intention to give him the ticket, it should have been clarified from the very beginning. The way he was kept hanging is not acceptable. We wish he should file nomination papers as an independent candidate,” observed Sasadhar Samal, Rajendra Das’s supporter.
Another theory claiming the ticket was denied to Rajendra Das because of the objection put up by Chanbali MLA Byomakesh Ray, former Dhamnagar MLA Muktikanta Mandal and former Dhamnagar block chairman Ashok Nayak is also doing the rounds.
Meanwhile, Rajendra Das broke his silence on contesting the by-poll as an independent candidate on Thursday.
“I will not take any decision on my own. I will do what the people want me to do. If they want me to file nomination papers as an independent candidate, I will do that,” said Das.
On the other hand, the BJD said Das wouldn’t do anything as speculated.
“I have full faith in Raju bhai (Rajendra Das). I don’t think he would put up any rebellion and file nomination as an independent candidate,” said BJD MP Munna Khan
The last date for filing nominations by candidates is October 14. Candidates can file their nomination at the Block Development Office (BDO) between 11 am and 3 pm.
Similarly, October 15 and October 17 have been scheduled as the date for scrutiny of nominations and the last date for withdrawal of candidatures, respectively.
The voting will be conducted on November 3 from 7 am to 6 pm. The counting of votes and announcement of results will be done on November 6, 2022.
On the other hand, no parties have so far announced names of their candidates. However, reports are making rounds that the BJD may select one among its former MLAs Rajendra Das and Muktikanta Mondal, and Dr Sanjay Das and former chairman of Dhamnagar block Ashok Nayak.
While Sanjay Das is a new face, Rajendra Das was MLA from the Assembly constituency in 2009 and had unsuccessfully contested the seat in 2019. Similarly, Muktikanta Mondal was the MLA of the constituency in 2014, and his wife is the current MP from Bhadrak Parliamentary constituency.
Similarly, while the Congress Dhamnagar candidate in 2019, Bidyadhar Jena is hopeful of getting the party ticket, senior party leader Ananta Sethy and his daughter Madhumita Sethy are also said to be in the race for ticket.
Meanwhile, the BJP is reportedly ready to fight the bypoll by naming Suryabansi Suraj, son of Bishnu Sethi, as the party's candidate for Dhamnagar by-election.
As per the press note of ECI, the specific gazette notification regarding the by-poll will be issued on October 7. The last date for filing nominations by candidates is October 14. Similarly, October 15 and 17 have been set as the date for scrutiny of nominations and the last date for withdrawal of candidatures respectively.
The voting will be conducted on November 3. While November 6 has been fixed for the counting of votes and announcement of results, November 8 has been set as the date for the completion of the election process.
The by-poll has been necessitated by the demise of sitting BJP MLA Bishnu Charan Sethi who passed away last month at the age of 62 while undergoing treatment at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar.
With the announcement of the date for the Dhamnagar by-poll, the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress have started their strategies to capture the seat while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) eyes retaining the seat.
When contacted over phone, BJP leader Thakur Ranjit Das said his party is well prepared for the poll. The party will field someone from Sethi's family and fulfil the departed leader’s unfulfilled wishes.
When referred to the odds for the BJD winning the by-election being ten to one, Das said time won’t always be favourable to someone. “We know how good the BJD is at using its officers. But when it comes to the people’s love for their leader, nothing can stand. Dhamnagar voters had elected Bishnu bhai as they wanted a change. And they would again elect the BJP as we will fulfil his unfulfilled wishes,” said Das.
Sethi, who is known for his impeccable leadership, was born in Tihidi of Bhadrak district on June 5 1961. He lost his mother in his childhood days and was brought up by his father Gayadhara Sethi. After completing his matriculation from Tihidi High School, he did his graduation from Utkal University before moving to Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi for higher education. Though he had qualified for the Odisha Public Service Commission, he chose politics to serve the people.
Before his tryst with politics, he had been an active member of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Later he joined the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha. Subsequently, he went up to discharge his duties sincerely as a member of the BJP’s national council, president of Bhadrak district, vice president of the BJP Scheduled Caste Morcha and finally deputy leader of the Opposition.
For the first time, he was elected to the Odisha Legislative Assembly from Chandbali constituency in 2000. In 2006, he was made the chairman of Odisha State Cashew Development Corporation. In 2019, he was again elected to the Assembly from Dhamnagar seat.
Besides politics, the multifaceted leader has also left his indelible footprints in the field of journalism and literature. He worked as the editor of several magazines including ‘Bishes Khabar’, ‘Ghasaphula’ and ‘Sironama Sirodharya’. He also penned two collections of poems‘NIramaya Akasha Tale’ and ‘NIswa Matira Swara’.
Worth mentioning, Sethi had encompassed the journey of President Draupadui Murmu from Rairangpur to Raisina Hill in his poem, got it framed and presented it to President Murmu on the occasion of her swearing-in ceremony.
As per reports, the fire broke out in a house and spread to the adjoining houses within minutes in the congested locality. Properties including jewelleries worth lakhs of rupees, other household stuffs were reduced to cinders in the fire mishap, added sources.
By the time fire tenders reached the spot, the entire house had been reduced to ashes, informed sources.
Meanwhile, the exact reason behind the fire mishap is yet to be ascertained. An investigation is currently underway.
As per reports, the accused, identified as Babua Mohanty of the same village reached the woman’s house and attacked her with a stone. When daughter of the woman rushed in to interfere, he threatened to kill her as well. Hearing the screams, a few neighbours knocked their door and broke it open to find the woman lying in a pool of blood. However, the accused had escaped through a door in the backyard.
"Babua attacked my mother and also threatened to kill me. He tied me up and took valuables from the almirah. When our acquaintances knocked at the door, he fled," said Lijarani, daughter of the deceased.
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"We broke open the door when nobody answered from inside. We saw the girl tied up and another child sleeping. We saw the body of my sister-in-law lying near the tube well," Udayanath Patra, a relative of the deceased said.
According to police sources, the accused Babua is suspected to have been in touch with the woman's husband. Babua had reportedly called him up before killing the woman and many have corroborated that both were seen together on a bike last night. However, mystery shrouds the incident as the woman's husband has been missing since then while the accused is absconding.
A manhunt has been launched to nab the culprit.
The snakes were spotted in the house of one Gouranga Jena, whose son rescued the reptiles this morning.
Earlier as many as 131 cobras were rescued from the house of one Bijay Bhuyan at Shyampur village under Dhamnagar NAC of the district in the past three days. The rescued snakes have been released into the forest surrounding Hadgarh dam near Anandpur of Keonjhar district.
Yesterday, Snake Helpline officials had rescued three adult Cobras and two more snake hatchlings from a termite mound inside Bhuyan's house.
Sources said Bhuyan used to worship the termite mound and was aware of the presence of a few snakes inside the mound. But he was shocked to see such a huge number of snakes inside it.
On Friday night, Bhuyan’s daughter caught hold of a snake inside the house, following which the family members called up Snake Helpline staff. The team rescued 131 snakes, including hatchlings from the house in an operation which lasted for 3 days.
Though situation in Dhamnagar has returned to normalcy, the district administration decided to extend the Sec 144 imposition period till 10 am tomorrow to avoid recurrence of any unpleasant incidents.
Besides, civil society groups in the town are helping the district administration and police restore brotherhood in the area.
After five houses located in Dhamnagar bazaar sahi were gutted in a fire incident on Friday, tension had erupted in the town.
Meanwhile, a BSF jawan, who was on law and order duty in Bhadrak following the recent unrest, died this morning after falling off the police reserve barrack roof situated in Charampa.
The deceased jawan has been identified as Rasananda Dalei, a resident of Shyamapur in Cuttack. He was working with the Kalinganagar 3rd battalion.
Four houses of a family were gutted allegedly in a fire mishap on Friday night.
The Sec 144 has been clamped in Dhamnagar Chhak, NAC area, Bhagbanpur, Palikiri and Dobala bazaar for a period of 24 hours even as SP, Collector and local MLA are trying to restore normalcy in the area.
Five platoons of police have been deployed in the area to maintain law and order.
Later in the evening, police detained 4 persons in connection with the incident for questioning.
Earlier, the High Court had rejected the anticipatory bail plea of the legislator on October 20 and directed him to surrender before the lower court. The high Court had also ordered the lower court to hear the case based on the cases of other accused in the murder case.
Notably, on November 3, 2002, one Niranjan Jena from Sugo village under Basudevpur police limits was abducted and murdered. Deceased Niranjan’s uncle Duhsashan Jena had filed a case against six persons including the MLA. However, police had excluded Muktikant Mandal’s name from the chargesheet following which Duhsashan had knocked the door of high court.
After High Court ordered the Bhadrak Sessions Court to name Muktikant as an accused and conclude its hearing within six months, the legislator had sought anticipatory bail.
As per sources, the incident occurred on September 4 minutes after she reached Dhamnagar Chhak in a bus from Bhubaneswar.
In her complaint, the girl stated that three youths followed and intercepted her and later tried to kidnap her when she was heading towards her home.
However, while she was putting up a brave fight with the kidnappers, locals in the nearby petrol pump rushed to the spot hearing her screams.
But by the time the locals reached, the trio had already escaped from the spot, the girl said.
Meanwhile, police informed that one of the three miscreants whom the girl could identify during the abduction bid was Ratnakar Jena of Ucchada village.
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"We have started investigation into the incident based on the complaint filed by the victim. One of the accused has been identified. All three will be nabbed soon," said a police official.
As per the reports, a team comprising medical officer Jyotirmay Nayak and junior doctors of the CHC in Dhamnagar Block achieved this feat after successfully operating three persons suffering from appendicitis and tumour.
"CSE level laparoscopic surgery is a complex operation and we have executed this surgery at a government health centre which is probably the first time in Odisha," said in-charge Medical Officer, Jyotirmay Nayak. "Our medical team had 7-8 junior doctors and nurses and with teamwork we successfully operated the patients," Nayak added.
Locals have praised and welcomed the success of the entire team involved in the operation.
The case took a fresh twist today as family members of Rakesh claimed that his father died of heart attack due to constant pressure from police and district administration. Keeping the body in front of the Tehsildar Office, the family members staged a protest seeking action against the DhamnagarTehsildar.
Alleging harassment by district administration and the police officials, SurajMohanty, brother of Rakesh said, "We want Dhamnagar Tehsildar Durga Charan Murmu to be suspended." He also demanded to drop all the charges against his brother Rakesh claiming that he is innocent.
Soon, Sub-Collector PitambarSamal, Bhadrak SP Rajesh Pandit reached the spot to pacify the family members. After assurance from the officials of a fair and detailed investigation in the matter, the family members called off the strike and took the body for autopsy, sources said.
The video, that was reportedly shot on Friday shows three students; one girl from Class one and two other boys respectively from Class two and Class three kneeling down on the premises of Padmapokhari Primary school under Dhamnagar block of the district.
As per reports, the headmistress in-charge Sagarika Rout made them kneel down after the trio allegedly fought with each other for some reason while consuming mid-day meal. Enraged over the noisy altercation, Rout made the children kneel down in the open for more than half-an-hour.
Following the incident, Rout was suspended by the Block Education Officer(BEO).
The incident has drawn flak from different quarters after video of the punishment went viral on social media.
No comments could be obtained from the school authorities regarding the matter.
Bairatarini river flows through Bhandaripokhari, Dhamnagar, and Chandabali blocks of Bhadrak district. Every year floods create havoc in these areas and locals allege that rampant sand mining on its banks adds woes to the nearby village panchayats.
Chittaranjan Nayak, a local says, "The illegal mining near our village has increased manifold over the years due to which possibility of flood is growing in the nearby villages."
"The district administration has turned blind eye to the sand mafia. They are deliberately allowing the illicit transport of sand," he says.
Duryodhan Lenka who is aggrieved over the situation narrates that sand mining continues in an unbridled manner on a 30 km stretch of the river that too under the very nose of the administration.
"Due to the quarrying activities from Akhuapada of Bhadrak to Dehudi in Anandpur, Baitarani River has been changing its course time and again and creating floods every year," he says.
"Apart from the geological and ecological damage, the State government is also losing crores of revenue due to illegal mining. There has been no concrete action taken against illicit mining mafia which is encouraging them to continue their smuggling," Lenka adds.
Manoj Nayak, the Sarpanch of Ranajit panchayat informed, "Government is not calling periodic auction for mining. We have complained several times but authorities are not heeding to our complaints."
"Illegal mining has resulted in an artificial river called Gengei in the region. If government doesn't take immediate action then more than 8 panchayats will get marooned during the floods. We will be forced to agitate against the government if our problems not solved soon," Nayak added.
Asked about the situation, Bhadrak district collector, Gyana Das said, "We are aware of the problems caused due to illegal mining. Administration gets revenue from Dhamnagar tehsil and Bhandaripokhari sand mining zones. We are in a process to execute the action."
"There are two additional Revenue Inspectors appointed in those blocks. We will ensure to check unauthorised mining. No sand beyond the auction limit will be allowed in future." Das informed.
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