Bhubaneswar:Odisha chief minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik’s electoral fate has been sealed in the EVMs as five Lok Sabha and 35 assembly constituencies went to polls in Odisha in the second phase on Thursday. Naveen Patnaik is contesting from his traditional seat Hinjli under Aska and from Bijepur under Bargarh Lok Sabha constituencies.
In the second phase, top leaders like union tribal affairs minister Juel Oram, leader of the opposition Narasingha Mishra, BJP legislative party leader KV Singhdeo, Odisha minister Bikram Keshri Arakhu, Niranjan Pujhari, Sushant Singh and Senhangini Churia are seeking their electoral fate in 2019.
The second phase election was marred by violence and EVM malfunctioning. BJD candidate Jogesh Singh, PSO of BJP’s Brajarajnagar candidate Radharani Panda was attacked and injured by opponents. In Sorada, BJP candidate Nilamani Bisoi ransacked the polling booth and damaged the EVM machine.
Human error also lead to cancellation of polling in six booths in three Lok Sabha constituencies.
The Chief Election Officer(CEO) Surendra Kumar said that re-polling in the six booths in Bargarh, Kandhmal and Sundergarh would be ordered soon.
Over all polling in the second phase is expected to touch 72.5% recorded in 2014 election.
The CEO said the total voter turnover witnessed in the state till 5pm was around 64%. He, however, added that the polling figures are tentative and the final voting number would be declared by tomorrow.
