The elections for the municipality vice-chairman [VC] post for the Jagatsinghpur and Paradip urban bodies were held and the results were formally announced on Thursday.
Rajendra Kumar Bisoi, a BJP Councillor from ward number 14, was elected as vice-chairman of Jagatsinghpur Municipality. Bisoi defeated his BJD contestant Manoj Mohanty by only one vote. Bisoi polled 11 votes and Mohanty 10 votes. The BJP had won two Councillors while seven Congress Councillors and two independents supported Bisoi.
On the other hand, BJD had won 9 Councillors out of total of 21 wards but was unable to reach magic number of 11 in spite of support by an independent Councillor and a BJD rebel candidate supporting BJD’s Mohanty.
Moreover, the BJD received a jolt in the Paradip Municipality VC elections, as Independent candidate Chhabilata Rout was elected as vice chairperson. Rout defeated her rival Pravhati Nayak of BJD by four votes.
Rout got 10 votes and Nayaksix while three BJP Councillors abstained. Interestingly, the BJD has seven Councillors in the civic body. However, one BJD Councillor crossed over to vote for the Independent VC candidate Rout.