The Biju Janata Dal on May 13 registered a landslide victory in by-election for the Jharsuguda Assembly segment, which was lying vacant following murder of then Health and Family Minister Naba Kishore Das.
Deepali Das, daughter of the slain leader and BJD candidate, defeated Bharatiya Janata Party Tankadhar Tripathy by a huge margin of 48,721 votes. Ms. Das secured 1,07,198 votes while her nearest rival Mr. Tripathy got 58,477 votes. Congress candidate Tarun Pandey trailed at distant third with only 4496 votes.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik spoke to Ms. Das and congratulated her for the landslide victory in the Jharsuguda by-election.
In reaction to her victory, Ms. Das said this victory belonged to the people of Jharsuguda and those who were associated with her father Naba Kishore Das.
Former Health Minister Naba Kishore Das was shot dead by an assistant sub-inspector police in Brajarajnagar on January 29 this year. Subsequently, BJD gave ticket to his daughter.
It was BJD’s sixth by-poll victory in Odisha after the 2019 Assembly elections. Earlier, the party had won all five Assembly by-elections that were held in Bijepur, Balasore, Tirtol, Pipili and Brajarajnagar constituencies. The BJP has managed to win the Dhamnagar assembly bypoll.
