Putting at rest all speculations, the ruling BJD’s candidate grabbed the covetous post in Baleswar Municipality. The top civic body post was occupied by the Independents for three consecutive terms earlier here. Sujata Das headed the post last time.
The BJD had won 17 seats out of 31 in the municipality. BJD candidate Alok Sahu secured 27 votes, trouncing his only rival Padmalochan lenka of Congress, who got only 4 votes. The Congress had won six seats, while BJP one and rest went to the independents.
However, the three Independent candidates extended support to the BJD. “It is the tireless efforts of Atanu Sabysachi Nayak, Ajay Nayak and Pramila Mallick that paid off. Not only could they contain the party’s infighting to a large extent, but also succeeded in garnering the required number,” said an observer.
Although Das was one among the front runners, yet the party couldn’t draw a consensus line in her name. But then the names of Chandra Sekhar Patra and Chittaranjan Sahu were doing the round, yet Alok Sahu was the final choice of the party.
In Nilgiri, Radha Gobinda Khatua of the BJD got the top post, while in Jaleswar NAC; Subasini Singh of Congress was elected as the chairperson unopposed. In Soro, Congress came up with the flying colours. The Congress had won eight seats and BJP and BJD 6 and 5 respectively. Subhasmita Mohanty of the party was made the chairperson.