Tarun Karthick
Port Blair, 05 June 2024
In a significant victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), seasoned politician and three-time former Member of Parliament (MP) Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray has won the Lok Sabha seat from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Parliamentary Constituency. According to the latest figures available on the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) website, Mr. Ray secured a substantial lead of 24,396 votes over his closest rival.
Mr. Ray defeated incumbent MP Mr. Kuldeep Rai Sharma of the Indian National Congress (INC), who represented the constituency in the 17th Lok Sabha. The final tally showed Mr. Ray receiving 102,436 votes, while Mr. Sharma garnered 78,040 votes.
The decisive margin highlights the significant support Mr. Ray enjoys among the electorate. His victory underscores the confidence voters have in his leadership and vision for the region’s development.
Other candidates in the fray included Mr. Manoj Paul from the Andaman Nicobar Democratic Congress, who received 8,254 votes, and Mr. D Ayyappan from the Communist Party of India (Marxist), who secured 6,017 votes. Independent candidates Mr. V K Abdul Aziz, Mr. K J B Selvaraj, Ms. Rinku Mala Mondal, Mr. K Venkat Ram Babu, Ms. Usha Kumari, and Mr. Anand Ramnath Arlekar received 2,203, 914, 542, 507, 380, and 342 votes respectively. Dr. Arun Kumar Mallik from the Bahujan Samaj Party secured 719 votes, while Mr. Salamat Mondal from the Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) obtained 351 votes. Additionally, the NOTA (None of the Above) option was selected by 1,809 voters.
Mr. Ray will now represent the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the lower house of the Indian Parliament for the next five years. Known for his impeccable track record, Mr. Ray has been entrusted once again by the electorate to address their grievances and spearhead development initiatives in the islands.
This victory marks a significant milestone for the BJP in the region, reaffirming their influence and the electorate’s faith in their governance.