BJD candidate registers first victory in Odisha assembly polls

The first victory in the Odisha assembly election was secured by the BJD with its candidate Amar Prasad Satpathy winning from the Barchana seat.

BJD candidate Mukesh Kumar Pal also won from the Pallahara assembly constituency by defeating BJP nominee Ashok Mohanty by a margin of 6,214 votes.

The ruling party was also leading in 113 other constituencies.

Satpathy, the government's chief whip and a former state minister, defeated his nearest BJP contestant Amar Kumar Nayak by a slender margin of 1,485 votes in his home turf, Election Commission sources said.

While Satpathy polled 64,084 votes to retain his seat, Nayak bagged 62,599 and Congress candidate Ajay Kumar Samal got 9,322 votes.

BJP candidates were leading in 22 seats, while the Congress was ahead in eight of the 146 assembly constituencies that went to polls. A CPI(M) candidate was leading in Bonai and an Independent was ahead in Rayagada.

Polling in the Patkura assembly segment was postponed twice following the death of a candidate and then due to cyclone Fani.