BJD wins Pipili bypoll by over 20,000 votes

Bhubaneswar, Oct 3 (IANS) Odisha's ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Sunday won the bypoll to the Pipili Assembly constituency by 20,916 votes.

BJD candidate Rudra Pratap Maharathy got 96,972 votes while BJP's Ashrit Pattanayak secured second position with 76,056 votes. Congress candidate Bishwokeshan Harichandan Mohapatra was able to get only 4,261 votes, state Chief Electoral Officer S.K. Lohani said.

A total of 1,80,930 votes including 893 postal ballots were counted while 136 votes were rejected due to various reasons, he said.

As many as 10 candidates were in fray for the seat lying vacant after the death of sitting BJD lawmaker Pradeep Maharathy in October last year.

Chief Minister and BJD President Naveen Patnaik thanked the people of Pipili area for their support to his party. He also congratulated his party workers and leaders for the victory.

In the 147-seat house, the BJD now has 114 members, the BJP 22, Congress nine, while there is one CPI-M and Independent lawmaker.