Urban Apathy For Voting Continues, Cuttack Sees Highest 65% Turnout Amid Sporadic Violence Across Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The urban polls to 106 Urban Local bodies in Odisha, which saw 65 per cent voter turnout till 5 pm on Thursday, was marred by sporadic incidents of violence.

Notably, 50 per cent of eligible voters did not cast their votes in Bhubaneswar, while 53 per cent stayed away in Berhampur and 35 per cent in Cuttack, which saw 65 per cent voter turnout. Besides clashes in some areas between political parties, some candidates were reportedly found distributing money among the voters at different booths in the state.

GANJAM

Three BJP workers were reportedly injured in a group clash in front of the party’s office in Chikiti NAC. Four bikes and a car belonging to BJP state executive committee member Manoranjan Dyan Samantara, were damaged.

Tension flared up at Ankuli Bauri Sahi under Ward 40 of Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC) after the agents of different political parties found an Electronic Voting machine (EVM) inside a car parked outside booth 233.  Later, BeMC’s deputy commissioner Adwitya Swain said the machine was kept on standby to be used in case any machine malfunctioned.

BHADRAK

Independent candidate Debabrata Mohanty, contesting for councillor post from ward no-8 in Bhadrak Municipality, was found distributing money among the voters at a booth. Some voters opposed him and informed the police.

Police went to the spot and seized more than Rs 25,000 from possession of Debabrata. The candidate has been detained in the police station and further investigation is on.

A BJP supporter, Ramesh Lenka, was allegdely stabbed in front of booth-16 in Ward no. 9 of Dhamnagar NAC following an altercation with workers of another party.

PURI

A BJP polling agent suffered injuries in an attack by opponents at booth-9 of Ward No-7 in Pipili. The seriously injured agent has been admitted to the Pipili government hospital.

BALANGIR

Another case of money-for-votes was reported from Patnagarh NAC. Pradip Meher, the brother of Patnagarh MLA Saroj Meher, was allegedly found distributing cash among voters at Ward Number 1,2 and 3 in Kolapada. The BJP workers and locals caught hold of Pradip and thrashed him in presence of the MLA, the sources said. No complaint has been filed with the police in this regard.

BALANGIR

Two BJD leaders, councillor candidate Pinki Kharsel and Balangir district secretary Firoz Khan, were injured in a clash with Congress workers over alleged booth rigging in Ward 14 and 15 of Jhankarpada. Later, Khan and his supporters staged a sit-in in front of the booth, alleging that Congress workers were intimidating the voters.

KANDHAMAL

Some people were found giving money to the voters at Government High School in ward no-5 of Baliguda NAC. A video in this regard has gone viral on social media. The people, who were distributing the money, are allegedly supporters of the BJD candidate for the councillor post of the NAC.

CUTTACK

A man in Cuttack was also thrashed by the rival group for allegedly distributing cash to voters in Ward No-53. He was later handed over to police.

Around 40.5 lakh voters were expected to exercise their franchise to elect mayors, chairpersons, corporators and councillors in 109 urban local bodies, including three municipal corporations of Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Berhampur. The polling was held in 1873 wards from 8 am to 5 pm.

While 569 are contesting for mayor and chairperson posts, 5,842 corporator and councillor candidates are in the fray. The counting will be held on March 26.