Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Mar 11:

Less than three weeks after the three-tier panchayat elections culminated in Odisha, the Panchayat Samiti members elected the chairpersons today.

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Of the total 314 blocks in the state, the elections were held in 307 blocks, the State Election Commission (SEC) informed today.

Though the elections were not held as per party symbols, the nominees were elected with party backing.

The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) today held a press conference in the capital city where it claimed that it captured 71 percent of the blocks followed by Congress at 14 percent and BJP at 9 percent.

"Though the BJP had won 297 Zilla Parishad seats, the saffron party could form Panchayat Samiti only in 29 blocks. The BJD formed panchayat samiti in 218 blocks followed by Congress in 45 blocks. Other parties and Independents formed Panchayat Samiti in 15 blocks," BJD spokesman Sashibhusan Behera said.

Besides, the BJD claimed that the Congress has not formed Panchayat Samiti in 13 districts and the BJP in 16 districts.

On the contrary, the BJP claimed that its party formed Panchayat Samiti in 70-72 blocks.