In a major push for the BJP in Odisha, its candidate Suryabanshi Suraj wins the Dhamnagar bye-election with a margin of 6755 votes.
The general election in 2024 is still some miles away, but the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP)’s impressive win in Odisha’s Dhamnagar has given the party renewed vigour.
In a major push for the BJP in Odisha, considered a fiefdom of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief Naveen Patnaik, its candidate Suryabanshi Suraj won the Dhamnagar bye-election with a margin of 6755 votes. Suraj is the son of former BJP MLA Bishnu Sethi, whose death resulted in the bye-election.
The win comes as a big jolt for BJD, who fielded Abanti Das. According to the Election Commission of India, Suraj secured 58,332 votes after the 13th round of counting, while Das bagged 51,577. Congress nominee Baba Harekrushna Sethi got 2,602 votes.
A buoyant BJP termed the win a vote of trust in the leadership of Prime minister Narendra Modi. The party also see the win as a precursor to the 2024 general election.
“Odisha Dhamnagar By poll result reflects mood of people in Odisha as well as Odisha’s trust in decisive and credible leadership of Hon. PM @narendramodi ji. Hearty congratulations to all our karyakartas of @BJP4Odisha on this victory. DhamnagarBypoll result is a victory of democracy, youth and women,” Union Education minister and BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan tweeted.
“In opposition ruled Odisha, BJP’s Suryabanshi Suraj defeated ruling BJD’s candidate to wrest Dhamnagar seat. In Telangana, another non-BJP state, KCR and his entire party had to defend Munugode and still managed to only scrape through. Sign of things to come in 2024…” BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya tweeted.
The campaign saw the ruling BJD and opposition BJP bitterly accuse each other of indulging in ‘cash for vote’ to woo voters, with both parties lodging complaints with the state chief electoral officer. The high-octane campaign had seen top leaders from both parties, including Union Minister Pradhan and CM Patnaik, holding rallies in the constituency.