BONAI (SUNDARGARH):The ruling BJD suffered a shock defeat at the hands of the Congress in the Bonai-B Zilla Parishad by-election in Sundargarh district on Saturday.
Charan Kishan of Congress defeated BJD’s Jitendriya Kishan by 977 votes in a two-pronged contest. The seat had fallen vacant following the murder of BJD’s ZP member Dasarath Oram on October 22 last year.
Soon after declaration of the result on Saturday, the Congress supporters went into celebration mode. Under the leadership of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) general secretary and former Bonai MLA Bhimsen Choduary, a victory procession was taken out at Bonai sub-divisional headquarters, Kendrikela, Jakeikela, Badgogua, Baneikela and Ruguda panchayats.
The Congress nominee garnered 6,092 votes against 5,115 votes secured by the BJD nominee. The Independent candidate secured 300 votes. The BJP and the CPM refrained from fielding candidates.
With this defeat, the BJD’s seat share in the 35-member Sundargarh ZP council has reduced to 19. The tenure of the Sundargarh ZP council ends in February 2017.