15,835 votes in lS seat alone
In the tribals-dominated Sundargarh district, thousands of votes were cast in favour of the NOTA (None of the Above). The NOTA button was introduced in EVMs for the first time in the latest polls so that the voters can press it to show that they do not like any candidate contesting the elections. Particularly, a maximum number of voters preferred the NOTA in the Assembly constituencies of Bonai and Talsara.
Reports said in the Sundargarh Parliament seat, 15,835 voters preferred to press the NOTA button and with the NOTA occupying the fourth position after BJP, BJD and Congress. Notably, candidates of SUCI (9,472), BSP (9,400), KKD (8,448), AAP (7,429), Jharkhand Deshom Party (4,408), Bahujan Mukti Party (4,408) and three independent candidates were far behind the NOTA.
In the much-hyped Rourkela Assembly constituency, the position of the NOTA too was fourth after BJP, BJD and Congress with a total of 1,091 votes having cast in its favour. As a result, the NOTA was well ahead of nine candidates of other political parties and independents in terms of securing votes.
Similarly, in the tribal Talsara Assembly constituency, the NOTA got 2,716 votes, occupying the fourth position after Congress, BJD and BJP. Four other contestants trailed behind. In the Bonai seat, which is both tribal-prone and hilly, the voters opted for the NOTA in large numbers. It secured as many as 3,803 votes putting behind four contestants.
While in Sundargarh Assembly constituency, the NOTA got 2,358 votes putting five candidates behind, it got 1,523 votes in Raghunathpali seat putting behind five other candidates. In Biramitrapur, it got 1,496 votes putting four candidates behind and in Rajgangpur, it got 1,105 votes putting seven candidates behind.
Interestingly, while in all seven Assembly constituencies, 14,092 votes were cast in favour of the NOTA, but in Sundargarh Parliament seat alone, NOTA got the highest of 15,835 votes.
Political observers feel since the NOTA was introduced for the first time and there was inadequate awareness among the voters about the option, it got thousands of votes. At the same time, they said the preference of NOTA also gives a clear warning to the political parties to select the right candidates in the coming polls.