BJD wins Odisha by-polls

Biju Janata Dal (BJD) candidate Pratyusha Rajeswari Singh, widow of former member of parliament (MP) Hemendra Chandra Singh, on Sunday won the by-election for Kandhamal Lok Sabha seat in Odisha, trouncing Bharatiya Janata Party's Rudramadhab Ray by 298,868 votes. In her maiden poll battle, Pratyusha Rajeswari secured 477,529 votes in a seven-corner contest in the communally sensitive and Maoist-hit constituency, Kandhamal District Election Officer Sumant Kar said. Congress nominee Abhimanyu Behera, a former Phulbani member of legislative assembly (MLA), was pushed to the third position.

Securing 90,536 votes in the by-poll for the constituency, spread over four districts of Kandhamal, Ganjam, Nayagarh and Boudh.

The by-poll in the constituency, held on October 15, was necessitated following the demise Pratyusha's husband Hemendra Chandra Singh last month, who had won the seat in the Lok Sabha polls held in April 2014 by a margin of 181,017 votes.

An analysis of votes cast showed that BJD bagged a lion's share of 61.5 per cent of over 7.75 lakh total votes polled, while BJP secured 23 per cent and Congress 11.7 per cent.

Others polled 3.8 per cent votes, while 1.4 per cent voters chose non of the above (NOTA) option.

Jubilant over the by-poll result, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who is also the president of the ruling BJD, said the huge winning margin showed the continued support extended by people of Odisha for the plans and policies of the government.

Describing her win as a victory of the people and BJD supremo, Pratyusha said she would sincerely work for the development of backward Kandhamal and to fulfil the dreams of her late husband, who hailed from the Nayagarh royal family.