Pany gets elected to Lok Sabha after a long wait

Dhenkanal : Fortune has finally smiled on Rudra Narayan Pany of the BJP as he defeated Abinash Samal of the BJD by a margin of 76,567 votes to win the Dhenkanal Lok Sabha seat. Pany emerged victorious after a long wait of 33 years and in his sixth attempt as BJP candidate to get elected to the Lok Sabha.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had appealed to the people at an election rally in Angul on May 20 to vote for Pany. The people responded and elected Pany to the Lok Sabha.

Ten candidates were in the fray for Dhenkanal Lok Sabha seat. Pany polled 5,98,721 votes while his nearest rival Abinash Samal secured 5,22,154 votes. Congress candidate Sasmita Behera managed to get 34,730 votes.

Pany had unsuccessfully contested in 1991, 1996, 2009, 2014 and 2019 elections as BJP candidate. He was, however, nominated to Rajya Sabha twice.

Pany thanked the people of his constituency for electing him to the Lok Sabha. He also congratulated Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan for his efforts at all levels to ensure his victory.