Bargarh/Dhenkanal: In a landslide victory, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Wednesday secured both the Hindol and Atabira Notified Area Councils (NACs) in Dhenkanal and Bargarh districts of Odisha respectively. Elections to the two NACs were held on April 3.
The BJD won 11 out of the 12 Wards, including the Chairperson’s post, in the Atabira NAC, while the Congress nominee Dipak Rai won the remaining seat.
BJD’s Banamali Bariha defeated his nearest rival Sabita Bhue by a margin of 4,828 votes to secure the Atabira NAC Chairperson’s post. Bariha secured 6,565 votes, while 1,737 votes were polled in the favour of his opponent Bhue. BJP nominee Laxmi Behera ended up in the third position with 1,532 votes.
Atabira NAC has around 13,520 voters and recorded a voter turnout of 74 per cent.
Similarly, the ruling BJD won 11 out of the 16 Wards in Hindol NAC, while BJP secured five seats in the council. BJD candidate Keshab Chandra Pradhan was elected the NAC Chairperson securing 4,347 votes. BJP’s Sovagini Pradhan and Congress’ Rita Palei were in the second and third positions with 3,923 and 219 votes respectively.
BJD nominees won Ward No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11, 14, 15 and 16, while BJP secured victory in Wards No. 5, 6, 9, 12 and 13
Hindol NAC has a total of 9,863 voters and recorded a voter turnout of 87 per cent.
