Bhubaneswar: Ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) candidate Nibedita Jena was declared elected chairperson of Dhamnagar Notified Area Council (NAC) in Odisha’s Bhadrak district, Wednesday. Nibedita Jena defeated her nearest BJP rival Puspashree Mohanty by 1,046 votes. The BJD candidate secured 6,026 votes while Mohanty got 4,980 votes. Congress candidate Pramila Sethi finished third and could secure only 2,214 votes.
BJD candidates also won in nine out of the 11 wards of the Dhamnagar NAC where polling was held in two phases (March 24 and April 5). BJP nominees secured two other seats.
BJD’s vote share in Dhamnagar NAC was 45 per cent. It was followed by the BJP with 37 per cent and Congress 17 per cent, the State Election Commission (SEC), Odisha said.
During the polling March 24, elections in six booths of four wards under Dhamnagar NAC were disrupted due to disturbances. The SEC had ordered re-poll in the six booths which was held on April 5. The final results were declared Wednesday after counting of votes cast in the re-poll.
The Bhadrak district administration has imposed prohibitory order under section 144 of CrPC across Dhamnagar NAC limit.
With the election of Jena, the BJD has won in 74 seats in the chairpersons elections out of 106 posts, while BJP won 16 posts and Congress in 7 seats, SEC sources said.
This apart, the ruling BJD candidates have also won the three Mayor elections held in Bhubaneswar, Berhampur and Cuttack Municipal Corporations.
