Bhubaneswar: The ruling BJD has won 89 per cent of 314 Zilla Parisad (ZP) seats, the results of which were declared on Sunday after day one counting in 315 zones of Panchayat polls in Odisha, the previous day. The result of Niali has not been declared yet.
BJD has won in 281 zones, BJP 15, Congress 14, independent/others 4.
According to the latest trends emerging from second-day counting, BJD is leading in 82 per cent of ZP seats. The Conch party is ahead in 253 of 305 ZP zones, BJP in 23, Congress in 16 and others in 4 seats.
With another day’s counting left for 229 seats, the BJD is inching towards a score of more than 600 ZPs and likely to better its 2012 tally of 651. It had won 476 seats in 2017.
A total of 2.2 lakh candidates were in the fry and the State Election Commission (SEC) had already declared 36,523 ward members, 126 Sarpanchs, 326 Samiti members, and one Zilla Parishad member as elected uncontested.
Notably, the Conch party has trounced BJP in its strongholds of Kalahandi, Balangir, Sambalpur, Sundargarh and Mayurbhanj, where it had performed exceptionally well in the last elections and replaced Congress as the main opposition party in the state by winning a total of 297 seats.
The BJP seems to have handed over victory to the ruling party on a platter with none of its senior leaders, except Union Minister Bisweshwar Tudu, joining the electioneering. It also failed to translate several issues, including Mamita Meher murder case, into votes in Kalahandi and Balangir districts. The BJD, on the other hand, entrusted senior leaders, including MPs, with the charge of districts even six months before the poll dates were announced. With meticulous planning and tactical positioning of leaders, the Conch party seems to have turned the tabled on BJP.
The distribution of Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) smart health cards by Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik also proved to be a game-changer in this year’s Panchayat polls. He visited all 30 districts in the last three years, launching schemes and programmes.
For all three parties, the outcome of the rural elections may have a direct bearing on their performance in the upcoming urban polls and 2024 general and assembly elections.
Also Read: Odisha Panchayat Polls: BJD Takes Decisive Lead In Second Round Counting
