In stunning upset, Odisha CM defeated by former daily wager turned BJP candidate

Shocking defeat of Odisha CM in Kantabanji Assembly election highlights victory of former daily wage labourer turned politician.

The results of the Odisha Assembly election was watched with bated breath, particularly the electoral battleground on Kantabanji in Odisha.

The counting process, which extended over 28 rounds and lasted into the late evening, delivered a shocking outcome. The seemingly invincible outgoing Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who had never faced defeat in his illustrious political career, experienced his first loss. The victor was Laxman Bag, a man who, just fifteen years ago, was working as a daily wage labourer.

Mr. Bag, the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate, garnered 90,878 votes, while Mr. Patnaik received 74,532 votes in the Kantabanji Assembly segment, resulting in a victory margin of 16,344.

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Considering the strong influence of the outgoing Odisha CM, this defeat and its margin were unimaginable. According to confidantes, Mr. Bag’s win was not a stroke of luck; his consistent efforts to support people in need within the Kantabanji constituency played a crucial role in his decisive victory.

Born into a poor farming family, Mr. Bag was one of six siblings struggling to make ends meet. In addition to working on his family’s farm, he started earning money by assisting a truck driver for a meagre wage. Eventually, he became a daily wage labourer to support himself.

Although Mr. Bag is rumoured to have connections for sending workers to other States, he has never admitted to it. Over time, he managed to improve his situation by purchasing trucks. In 2023-34, he filed income tax return on income of ₹4.89 lakh.