The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) swept the elections in most of the 65 Urban local Bodies (UlBs), the results of which were announced on Friday.
The party registered clear victories to form councils in 44 UlBs, including the Brahmapur Municipal Corporation (BMC) while the Congress won in 12 UlBs and the BJP fared very badly managing to get simple majority in only one NAC, Rairangpur, by winning seven of the 15 seats. The results of the elections in the Vyasanagar Municipality will be announced on Saturday.
However, the Congress improved upon its vote percentage this time compared to the 2008 polls.
While Independents hold the key in four UlBs, Jatni, Kodala, Udala and Anandapur by winning majority of seats, there are hung councils in four UlBs, Kotpad, Koraput Joda and Soro. In comparison to the last UlB polls in 2008, while the BJD and main opposition Congress have increased their tallies, the BJP slipped from nine to one this time.
The BJD, which had got 40 out of 105 UlBs in 2008, added four more to its kitty even of the 65 bodies and the Congress from nine to 12. Interestingly, the BJD wrested six UlBs from the Congress, which on its part wrested eight from the BJD.
The BJD received major setbacks in five UlBs, Jagatsinghpur, Nayagarh, Basudevpur, Angul, Dhenkanal and Pipili as its three Ministers, one MP and an ex-Minister and BJD strongman representing the districts bit the dust. Minister Damodar Rout in Jagatsinghpur, Minister Bijoyshree Routray in Basudevpur, Minister Rajani Kanta Singh in Angul, MP Tathagats Satpathy in Dhenkanal and Pradeep Maharathy in Pipili failed to bring the UlBs in favour of the BJD. The Congress wrested all the five UlBs.
The BMC, the only corporation which witnessed its first-ever elections among the UlBs went to the BJD. All the three major political parties had concentrated their campaigned to ensure victory of their candidates there.