Odisha to enter first phase of polling today

243 candidates are in fray from 28 assemblies 37 from Koraput, Nabarangpur, Berhampur and Kalahandy seats

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ODISHA is all set to enter the poll arena with voting for four Lok Sabha and 28 Assembly constituencies to go underway in the high stake battlefield across the southern districts on Monday. Around 62.87 lakh voters, including 30.97 lakh male and 31.89 lakh female, will exercise their franchise at 7,303 booths in the first of the four phase elections in the State. Of them around 1.75 lakh are first timers.

As many as 37 candidates are in fray from Koraput, Nabarangpur, Berhampur and Kalahandi Lok Sabha seats while 243 candidates are in the race from the 28 Assembly segments. The contest will be keen with both the ruling BJD and main rival BJP leaving no stone unturned to capture the seats while the Congress too is no pushover in this belt.