Bhubaneswar, April 5: The state's main opposition Congress party has registered an impressive win in the elections held for three urban local bodies in Odisha, an official said Friday.
The elections to the three notified area councils (NACs) at Attabira in Bargarh district, Hindol in Dhenkanal district and Nuapada in Nuapada district were held Wednesday, and counting was held a day later.
According to the results announced by the state election commission, the Congress has won 20 of the total 42 municipality wards under the three NACs.
The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) could muster only 12 seats, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) bagged four seats and independent candidates six, an official of the commission said.
"We are extremely happy and satisfied at the outcome. I thank the people for having reposed their faith in us," state Congress president Niranjan Patnaik told IANS.
"This is the beginning of the end of the misrule of the BJD government. The results reflect the growing disenchantment of people against the BJD. People have reposed their faith in us and we shall work relentlessly to come up to people's expectations," Patnaik said.
Senior BJD leader and state Revenue Minister Surya Narayan Patro, however, said local body elections are fought on local issues, and the results will have little bearing on the state assembly elections, due 2014.
