Bargarh: With all arrangements having been put in place for counting of votes in Bijepur Thursday, leaders of three major political parties and their supporters were busy working out arithmetic for win and debacle of their candidates.
Counting of votes will begin at 8:00 am on the Padmapur Regulated Marketing Committee (RMC) godown premises. Counting of votes will be conducted on 14 tables and completed in 22 rounds. Results will be announced the same day.
Every political party is hopeful winning the seat even as the post-poll scenario in the area has been tense.
The Assembly segment saw polling of 79.17 per cent. Interestingly, the ratio votes by men and women in the by-poll is said to be almost the same.
Percentage of polling in 17 booths was recorded above 90 per cent while the polling rate at four booths was recorded between 50 and 59 per cent and 12 other booths recorded between 60 and 69 per cent However, the remaining 251 booths recorded polling rate between 70 and 89 per cent.
The seat has been a BJD bastion when Chief Minister had won the seat last time. The leaders of the ruling party showed confidence to strike a hat-trick this time. In 2018 by-poll, as compared to the 2014 general elections, it had secured 25.43 per cent more votes. Similarly, in the last general elections it could obtain 59.78 per cent votes.
The BJP is also hopeful of coming out victorious this time even though it has been continuously losing the seat. In 2014 general elections, it managed to secure 4.08 per cent more votes in its favour as compared to that in 2009.
The saffron party’s vote share was 33.53 per cent in 2018 by-poll which declined to 28.91 per cent in 2019 general elections.
The Congress party, despite its poor show in the one and half decades, has been gradually losing its ground. The percentage of votes for Congress between 2004 and 2014 general elections were 53.97 per cent 40.91 per cent and 32.15 per cent, respectively.
As the time for counting of votes came closer, people in the entire state await the results of the Bijepur by-poll.
