Bhubaneswar: Biju Janata Dal (BJD)’s Barsha Singh Bariha on Monday took oath as Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). She was administered the oath by Speaker Bikram Keshari Arukha at his official chamber in the Odisha Assembly.
Barsha Singh Bariha, the elder daughter of late MLA Bijay Ranjan Singh Bariha whose death in October necessitated the by-election in Padampur, won the seat by 42,679 votes against her nearst rival BJP’s Pradip Purohit.
Barsha polled 1,20,807 (58 per cent) votes, BJP candidate Pradeep Purohit managed 78,128 (37.51 per cent) votes, while Congress’ Satya Bhusan Sahu lost his security deposit as he could garner only 3,594 (1.73 per cent) votes. The bypoll was conducted on December 5 and the result was announced on December 8.
Barsha is the daughter-in-law of senior BJP leader Rama Ranjan Baliarsingh, who was elected from the Satyabadi constituency in Puri district as an independent in 2004. Baliarsingh later joined BJD before switching over to the BJP in 2019.
A law graduate from Bengaluru, Barsha edged out three other members of her family to get the party ticket. Bariha’s widow Tilottama Singh, younger daughter Kadambini, and daughter of his elder brother Madhabi Singh Bariha were also keen to contest.
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After a gap of three years, BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik physically campaigned for a party nominee, which he said he did to stand by her side as a father figure, brother and friend amid personal and vile attacks from BJP.
