Record voting raises hopes of BJD and BJP in Odisha's Pipili bypoll
BHUBANESWAR: The highest-ever voter turnout recorded in the Pipili Assembly constituency, which crossed 78 per cent in the bypoll on Thursday, September 30, 2021, raised hopes of both the ruling BJD and its main rival BJP of a win. The voter turnout announced by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) late in the evening was 78.24 per cent. The earlier highest polling percentage in the Assembly segment was 77.27 in 2014. Polling started on a very low pitch in the morning but picked up momentum as the day progressed. It continued till 6 pm.
Sources in the office of the CEO said that the final tally of voter turnout will be available on Friday. The bypoll was by and large peaceful. Though Pipili has a history of poll violence, no untoward incident was reported from anywhere. “Voting has been completely peaceful. People voted adhering to Covid-19 guidelines and security personnel were present in all the polling booths to ensure free and fair voting,” CEO SK Lohani said.
Polling in some booths, however, was delayed due to technical glitches in the electronic voting machines. These were booth number 154 at Kaushalyapur, 158 at Pubar, 161 at Laxminarayanpur, 167 at Kunjar, 169 at Siula and 173 at Binayakpur. The administration had deployed close to 2,000 security personnel to ensure peaceful voting in Pipili. Webcasting was done in 175 of the 201 sensitive booths, while video recording arrangements were made in all polling stations. Twenty-three micro observers were also appointed to monitor the voting process. BJD in-charge and former minister Pratap Deb said that the party is hopeful of winning the election with a handsome margin.
Record voting raises hopes of BJD and BJP in Pipili bypoll
Deb thanked the district administration for conducting the poll in a peaceful manner and voters for coming out in large numbers to cast their votes. State BJP general secretary Golak Mohapatra was also optimistic of a BJP win. The voters were silent but came out in large numbers to defeat the ruling party, he said. Pipili has always had a history of high voter turnout.
The voter turnout in 2019, 2014 and 2009 was 76.43 pc, 77.27 pc and 73.43 pc respectively and BJD candidate Pradeep Maharathy had won all three times. Nearly 2.30 lakh voters will decide the fate of 10 candidates, including the ruling BJD’s Rudrapratap Maharathy, Ashrit Pattnaik of the BJP and Congress nominee Bishwokeshan Harichandan Mohapatra. The by-election was necessitated following the death of BJD MLA Pradeep Maharathy in October last year. Counting will be held on October 3.