The Balangir royal family suffered worst electoral setback in years as three of its members lost the polls this time.
Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo and Arkesh Narayan Singh Deo, sons of former Minister Ananga Uday Singh Deo, were defeated in the Balangir Lok Sabha constituency and the Balangir Assembly seat, respectively. They were contesting on BJD tickets.
The family’s Kanak Vardhan (KV) Singh Deo, BJP Legislature Party Leader in the outgoing Assembly, lost his traditional Patnagarh Assembly seat to his BJD rival Saroj Kumar Meher.
However, KV Singh Deo’s wife Sangita Kumari Singh Deo as the BJP candidate is the family’s sole winner in the Balangir Lok Sabha seat defeating her nephew Kalikesh Singh Deo.
In the Balangir Assembly seat, Arkesh Singh Deo was defeated by Congress leader Narasingha Mishra, who is the Leader of Opposition in the outgoing Assembly. But Mishra’s son Samarendra Mishra lost polls from the Balangir Lok Sabha seat as the Congress nominee.
