Puri: With only eight rounds of counting of votes remaining for the bypoll to the Pipili Assembly constituency, the victory of Biju Janata Dal is now almost certain.
Till reports last came in, the ruling party candidate Rudra Pratap Maharathy was ahead of his nearest rival and BJP candidate Ashrit Pattanayak by 19,328 votes at the end of the 17th-round counting.
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While Maharathy received 67,925 votes, Pattanayak polled 48,597 votes. Congress’ Bishwokeshan Harichandan Mohapatra got 3,293 votes.
The BJD had crossed the 2019 winning margin of 15,787 votes after 15 rounds of counting.
The final results will be announced after the 25th round counting.
