<p>Ruling BJD candidate Alaka Mohanty continued to lead over her rivals in Congress and BJP as the counting of votes continued for the Brajrajnagar assembly bye-election on Friday afternoon.</p>.<p>At the end of 16 rounds, Mohanty was leading by a margin of 54,096 votes after securing 75,317 votes, as per Election Commission data.</p>.<p>Her nearest Congress rival Kishore Patel got 21,221 votes, while BJP candidate Radharani Panda was in third place with 18,897 votes.</p>.<p>The bypoll was necessitated as MLA Kishore Mohanty, the husband of the BJD candidate, died in December last year.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/odisha-bypoll-32-voter-turnout-in-first-four-hours-in-brajrajnagar-assembly-segment-1114022.html" target="_blank">Odisha bypoll: 32% voter turnout in first four hours in Brajrajnagar assembly segment</a></strong></p>.<p>This is the first time since the 2019 Lok Sabha polls that the BJP was struggling at the third spot, with the Congress coming up in the second spot.</p>.<p>Four more rounds of counting are left, officials said.</p>.<p>As the BJD took an unassailable lead, party workers started celebrations with crackers and beating drums.</p>.<p>The counting of votes is underway since 8 am at the Jharsuguda Engineering College.</p>.<p>A three-tier security arrangement, comprising CRPF, State Armed Police and District Executive Force, is in place at the counting centre, Jharsuguda SP Rahul Jain said. </p>
<p>Ruling BJD candidate Alaka Mohanty continued to lead over her rivals in Congress and BJP as the counting of votes continued for the Brajrajnagar assembly bye-election on Friday afternoon.</p>.<p>At the end of 16 rounds, Mohanty was leading by a margin of 54,096 votes after securing 75,317 votes, as per Election Commission data.</p>.<p>Her nearest Congress rival Kishore Patel got 21,221 votes, while BJP candidate Radharani Panda was in third place with 18,897 votes.</p>.<p>The bypoll was necessitated as MLA Kishore Mohanty, the husband of the BJD candidate, died in December last year.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/odisha-bypoll-32-voter-turnout-in-first-four-hours-in-brajrajnagar-assembly-segment-1114022.html" target="_blank">Odisha bypoll: 32% voter turnout in first four hours in Brajrajnagar assembly segment</a></strong></p>.<p>This is the first time since the 2019 Lok Sabha polls that the BJP was struggling at the third spot, with the Congress coming up in the second spot.</p>.<p>Four more rounds of counting are left, officials said.</p>.<p>As the BJD took an unassailable lead, party workers started celebrations with crackers and beating drums.</p>.<p>The counting of votes is underway since 8 am at the Jharsuguda Engineering College.</p>.<p>A three-tier security arrangement, comprising CRPF, State Armed Police and District Executive Force, is in place at the counting centre, Jharsuguda SP Rahul Jain said. </p>