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Biju Janata Dal (BJD) is leading from the Jharsuguda assembly constituency by-polls where counting began at 8.00 am on Saturday.
The votes are being counted on 14 tables and will be done in as many as 18 rounds. Counting is being conducted at the Jharsuguda Engineering School, where 3-tier security has been established. First, all the EVM votes will be counted following which counting of 5 booths, where VVPAT was used, will be done. As per the latest data, BJD candidate Dipali Das has secured 60.84 per cent of the total voter turnout. The by-poll was held following the alleged assassination of health minister Naba Kisore Das on January 29 by a police officer. Altogether, 79.21 per cent of 2.21 lakh voters exercised their franchise on May 10. Deepali Das is the daughter of Naba Kishore Das, Ex-Minister and MLA. She is contesting the election after her father's death. Though there were nine candidates in the fray, the contest was restricted to three nominees: Deepali Das of the ruling BJD, Tarun Pandey of the Congress and Tankadhar Tripathy (BJP). The outcome of the by-poll will not have any impact on the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government headed by Naveen Patnaik, as the party enjoys a comfortable majority. In the 147-member Odisha Assembly, the BJD has 113 members, while the opposition BJP and Congress have 22 and nine MLAs, respectively. The CPI (M) has one member, and there is one independent legislator. (ANI)
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