Malvika Keshari Deo Wins From Kalahandi Lok Sabha Seat

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate, Malavika Keshari Deo won from Kalahandi Lok Sabha constituency by a margin of 1,33,813 votes. Keshari Deo received a grand total of 5,44,303 votes, while her close rival Lambodhar Nial received 4,10,490 votes. Meanwhile, Congress candidate Draupadi Majhi secured  third spot with 3,03,199 votes.

Malavika Keshari Deo is from the Kalahandi royal family and holds a strong political presence. Malavika’s grandfather-in-law, Pratap Keshari Deo, served as an MP, on five consecutive terms – from 1957 to 1977. Continuing the family legacy, her father-in-law, BK Deo, secured victory three times as a BJP candidate. Furthermore, Malavika’s husband, Arka Keshari Deo, emerged victorious in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections as a BJD candidate.

In Lok Sabha elections 2019, Basanta Kumar Panda of BJP party won the Kalahandi Lok Sabha seat with 4,29,710 votes. BJD’s Puspendra Singh Deo came runner up. Meanwhile, in 2014 election, Congress candidate Bhakta Charan Das defeated BJD’s Subash Chandra Nayak by a margin of 1,54,037 votes.

(This story is part of a Timeline. internship project.)