NABARANGPUR: Like anywhere else, it’s advantage BJD in this tribal-dominated district too. Considered a Congress bastion, BJD has outdone both the Opposition parties by making inroads into the interior pockets.
While BJD had won just five seats in the last panchayat polls, the party bagged 20 of the 26 Zilla Parishad (ZP) seats. Likewise, Congress that had won 15 ZP seats in 2007 poll, could manage just six seats this time. Parties like BJP, BSP and Samruddha Odisha could not open their account.
At the end of the last phase poll, unofficially 14 women from BJD and three from Congress were elected as ZP members.
Among them are, BJD’s district women wing president Nibedita Mohanty and former panchayat samiti chairperson of Raighar Nabina Naik. Nabina is the wife of Umerkote BJD MLA Subas Gond.
Nayagarh: Here too, the party has reportedly won 23 seats in the 24-member ZP. BJP bagged one seat. Congress which had fielded candidates in all the 24 seats could not win even one. And so is the case with other parties like CPM, BSP and Kalinga.
The last phase election in Ranpur on Sunday witnessed 85 per cent polling.
The BJD has been growing stronger in the district since the 2002 panchayat election. It won 13 ZP seats in 2002, romped home with 19 seats in 2007 and increased the tally to 23 this time.