BJD sweeps Attabira, Hindol urban body polls

SAMBALPUR: Maintaining its winning streak ahead of 2024 polls, the BJD on Wednesday emerged victorious in the urban local body (ULB) polls held in the notified area councils (NACs) of Attabira in Bargarh district and Hindol in Dhenkanal district. Counting of votes for the election held on Monday, was conducted on Wednesday.
While BJD candidates secured victories in 11 wards out of 12 in Attabira NAC, candidates of the ruling party won in 11 wards out of 16 wards of Hindol NAC.
In both Attabira and Hindol, which were accorded NAC status in 2013, the BJD won the ULB polls for the second consecutive time.
While BJP candidates secured victory in 5 wards in Hindol NAC, the Congress failed to open its account. The BJP failed to win a single ward in Attabira, while the Congress bagged one in the NAC.
In Attabira, BJD candidate Banmali Bariha will be chairperson of the civic body. While Bariha secured 6,565 votes, Congress candidate for the post of chairperson, Sabita Bhue, secured 1,737 votes, and BJP candidate Laxmi Behera secured 1,532 votes. Similarly, BJD candidate Keshab Chandra Pradhan was elected as chairperson in Hindol NAC. While Keshab secured 4,347 votes, BJP candidate Sovangini Pradhan got 3,923 votes and Congress nominee Rita Palei secured only 219 votes in the Hindol NAC.
Speaking to reporters after the announcement of the result, Attabira MLA Snehangini Chhuria said, "I am thankful to the voters for their huge support and for giving us the opportunity to serve again. The voters have reposed their faith in BJD and chief minister Naveen Patnaik. We are also committed to the development of Attabira NAC," she said.
For BJD, the victory in the two NACs came just four months after the party won the Padampur byelection in Bargarh district held in December last year, which was necessitated due to the death of BJD MLA Bijaya Ranjan Singh Bariha.
(With inputs by Jagadananda Pradhan from Angul)