India
Twice polls were postponed in Patkura.
Updated : Jul 24, 2019, 02:55 PM IST
Ruling BJD in Odisha has comfortably won the Patkura Assembly seat where counting took place today. The polling was held on Saturday. BJD candidate Sabitri Agarwal has won with a margin of 17655 votes. BJP's Bijoy Mohapatra came second whereas Congress candidate Jayanta Kumar Mohanty was a poor third.
Twice earlier, polling had got postponed for this seat.
In the final analysis, BJD sailed through as Bijoy Mohapatra failed to win in Kendrapara's Patkura, which is a strong BJD belt.
The election assumed special significance as BJP's Bijoy Mohapatra was contesting against BJD's Sabitri Agarwal, the widow of party leader Bed Prakash Agarwal. Mohapatra and state CM Naveen Patnaik don't often see eye to eye.
The earlier election was cancelled, due to death of Bed Prakash Agarwal. BJD later nominated his widow as the candidate. Election however again got delayed as the state got jolted by Cyclone Fani.
Despite BJP improving its tally, BJD has comfortably retained power in the state for the fifth time.
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Sabitri Agarwal has won the elections by a margin of 17655 votes.
Currently, BJD candidate Sabitri Agarwal is leading by 17.234 votes. There are few more rounds to go, so all is not lost for BJP. But it looks a tough path from here.
BJD is slowly building a huge lead and it will be very difficult for BJP to catch up now. Current lead is 16,144 votes.
BJD candidate is leading by 14,958 votes.
BJP candidate Sabitri Agarwal is currently ahead by 11,791 votes over BJP's Bijoy Mohapatra. Congress candidate is currently in distant third position
With PTI inputs