Odisha Zilla Parishad polls: BJD corners more than two-third seats

BHUBANESWAR: The ruling Biju Janata Dal president and Odisha chief minister, Naveen Patnaik has virtually humbled a hapless opposition Congress and BJP by cornering more than two-third Zilla Parishad seats in the five-phase panchayata elections in Odisha that concluded on Sunday.

The three-tier panchayat polls were held on February 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19. Over 2.44 crore voters participated in the polls to elect 854 zilla parishad members, 6,228 sarpanches, 6,231 panchayat samiti members and 87,528 ward members.

According to State Election Commission, 69.41% voters cast their ballots in the final phase of elections. While Nayagarh recorded the highest voters turnout of 85%, Cuttack reported the lowest 62%.

According to unofficial sources, after the fifth phase of polls the ruling BJD has won 621 of the 854 ZP seats for which elections have been held in the first four phases. The Congress and the BJP have won only 122 and 47 seats, respectively. Results of the others seats will be known after re-polling on Monday.

In the fifth phase, the BJD is ahead in 67 ZP seats and the Congress was leading in 14 seats. The BJP was ahead in two seats only, sources said. The results or the five-phase polls will be officially announced on February 22.

Preliminary reports suggest that the BJD has done exceedingly well in Cuttack, Jajpur, Bhadrak and Jagatsinghpur districts by winning all the ZP seats. Only in Sundergarh district, the BJD got four of the eight ZP seats.