By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, July 24, 2019: The ruling Biju Janata Dal on Wednesday won the Patkura Assembly constituency by defeating the BJP with the beleaguered Congress finishing third in the election held on July 20.

BJD candidate Sabitri Agarwalla defeated BJP’s Bijoy Mohapatra by 17,920 votes. Ms. Agarwalla bagged 96,017 votes, while Mr. Mohapatra got 78,097 votes and lost yet another battle to enter the State Assembly for another term. Jayanta Mohanty of the Congress secured only 2,104 votes by the end of last round of counting of votes.

Mohapatra, 68, who expressed surprise over the poll outcome, had won from Patkura four times – 1980, 1985, 1990 and 1995. He was a key member of Biju Patnaik’s Council of Ministers in his last term during 1990-95.

A founder-member of the BJD, Mohapatra was deprived of party ticket at the last minute failed to contest the 2000 polls. It was a classic case of cutthroat realpolitik, the latter has relentlessly attacked BJD chief Naveen Patnaik on policy issues and matters of alleged corruption.

He joined the BJP when the NCP turned an ally of the BJD before the 2009 polls. Mohapatra quit the BJP in November last, but returned to the party again before this year’s general election.

Polling in Patkura, which was initially scheduled for April 29 as part of the simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, was first adjourned due to the death of the Biju Janata Dal nominee – Ms. Agarwalla’s husband Bed Prakash Agarwalla.

The Election Commission of India then fixed May 19 as the next date of polling, but it was postponed again due to Cyclone Fani that hit the State’s coast on May 3.

The seat witnessed high-voltage campaigning, with senior leaders from the three major parties holding meetings to woo the voters. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik also campaigned for Ms. Agarwalla for a day besides scores of his ministers and party MLAs.