Bhubaneswar: It’s a good day today for the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) for all good reasons.
It is the day the BJD has registered a historic victory in the Brajarajnagar by-election. On this day, three of the BJD candidates were elected to Rajya Sabha unopposed. And most crucially, the Supreme Court’s verdict to the Srimandir Heritage Corridor Project being implemented by the BJD Government is another reason to feel good for the regional party.
BJD candidate Alaka Mohanty won the Brajarajnagar by-election in Jharsuguda district by a record margin. Mohanty secured nearly 65000 votes more than her nearest rival- Congress’ Kishore Patel and BJP candidate Radharani Panda. The massive mandate for the BJD shows people’s continued faith and confidence on the leadership and good governance of Naveen Patnaik.
On Friday, three BJD leaders – Sasmit Patra, Sulata Deo and Manas Mangaraj were elected to the Rajya Sabha, uncontested as both Congress and the BJP, who do not have numbers in the Assembly, did not field candidates for the election to the Upper House. Patra has been elected to the Rajya Sabha for the second time while Deo and Mangaraj are first-timers to the Parliament.
The Supreme Court has junked the petitions that challenged the Srimandir Heritage Corridor Project in Puri by the Odisha Government stating that the petitioners unnecessarily made a hue and cry.
The court said the public amenities activities carried out by the state government were in larger public interest.