The BJD again won council by grabbing 15 out of 18 seats in Athagarh NAC. With the active guidance of local MlA Ranendra Pratap Swain, all the candidates fought with a manifesto of development and managed to win in 15 seats.
The Congress, which had got only two seats last time, has increased its tally to three. This time, party candidates were guided by Bichitrananda Muduli. Cong won wards 1,2 and 9, which were said to be the citadel of BJD. Similarly, BJD grabbed wards 3 and 5 which were represented by opposition Congress for the last five terms.
As per the view of political analysts, the BJD has lost peoples' confidence drastically but due to lack of right alternative and unorganised opposition, public opinion is not being reflected properly.