Polling For Second Phase Of Odisha Assembly Elections Also Being Held

In Odisha, polling began at 7 this morning in five parliamentary constituencies and 35 assembly segments under these constituencies. Long queues are being seen in the booths with lots of enthusiasm among the voters to cast their franchise. The five parliamentary constituencies going for polls in the fifth phase of general elections are Kandhamal, Sundagarh, Bargarh, Balangir and Aska. 

A total of 40 candidates are in the fray for the five Lok Sabha seats and 265 candidates for the 35 Assembly seats which include heavyweight leaders from the BJD, BJP and Congress. About 79 lakh 70 thousand voters are expected to vote at 9,162 polling booths across all these constituencies. Of the total booths, 20 per cent are sensitive or critical polling stations, including some



in the Left-Wing Extremism-affected districts of Odisha. As many as 102 companies of Central Armed Police Forces will be deployed in the five Lok Sabha constituencies.

The political fate of Odisha Chief Minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik, who is seeking chief ministership for a record sixth term, will be determined in today’s elections. The 77-year-old Naveen Patnaik is contesting from two assembly constituencies – Hinjili in Ganjam district and Kantabanji in Balangir district. The other prominent candidates who are in the fray today include former Union Ministers and senior BJP leaders Jual Oram and Dilip Ray, former Indian hockey captain Dilip Tirkey besides many state ministers, sitting MPs and MLAs.