Bhubaneswar: Amid stray incidents, 69.34 percent of voters exercised their franchise in the second phase of polling in the State on Monday.
Elections to five Lok Sabha constituencies of Aska, Kandhamal, Bargarh, Bolangir and Sundergarh parliamentary constituencies along with 35 assembly segments within the jurisdiction of these Lok Sabha seats were conducted smoothly on yesterday.
According to EC sources, Bargarh Lok Sabha constituency recorded the highest polling at 76.20 per cent polling followed by 70.37 per cent in Kandhamal. While Balangir Lok Sabha seat witnessed 71.46 per cent polling, 67.74 per cent of voters came out to exercise their franchise in Sundargarh. The lowest polling of 60.78 per cent was witnessed in Aska constituency.
In 2019, 72.09 per cent polling was recorded in the second phase. Bargarh had recorded 78.37 per cent followed by 74.91 per cent in Balangir, 73.1 per cent in Kandhamal and 71.89 per cent in Sundargarh. Aska had recorded the lowest polling of 65.79 per cent.
Among Assembly seats, Sonepur witnessed heavy polling of 81.23 per cent. Polling crossed 75 per cent in several Assembly constituencies like Bhatli 79.23, Jharsuguda 78.50 and Birmaharajpur 78.37. Lowest voting percentage of 58.21 recorded in Hinjili constituency.
In the first phase, over 75 per cent polling was recorded in four Lok Sabha seats along with 28 Assembly segments. Polling in Nabarangpur was highest at 79.83 per cent while in Kalahandi it was 76.24 per cent. Koraput had recorded 75.3 percent polling. The lowest polling of 63.9 percent was recorded in Berhampur Lok Sabha seat.
The BJD and the BJP exuded confidence in winning a maximum number of seats in this phase of polling.
“With the blessings of people of the five parliamentary constituencies, we are winning 30 of the 35 assembly seats and will do better in parliamentary seats as compared to the 2019 polls,” BJD spokesperson Sasmit Patra said.
State BJP spokesperson Jatin Mohanty, in a press conference, claimed that his party will win in all five Lok Sabha seats in this phase of elections and 25 of the 35 assembly seats for which voting was held on Monday.
In the first two phases, the BJD has claimed that it will win 58 Assembly seats and will do well in the Lok Sabha polls. On the other hand, BJP has claimed 43 MLA seats and all nine MP seats in these two phases.
Notably, BJP’s top strategist and Union Home Minister Amit Shah has claimed that BJP will win 75 MLA and 15 MP seats in Odisha.