Sonpur: The BJD secured 10 of the 11 seats in Subarnapur District Planning Committee (DPC) elections, while the remaining seat went to the Congress after all candidates were elected unopposed. The outcome highlighted a new political equation in the district, with the BJD leaving one seat uncontested for the Congress. The BJP, which has a single Zilla Parishad member in Sonpur, did not field a candidate. BJP leaders said the party stayed away because the BJD and Congress had an understanding that made the outcome a foregone conclusion. The BJD’s 10 representatives were elected from Zilla Parishad zones across Ulunda, Dunguripali, Tarbha, Binika, Birmaharajpur and Sonpur blocks, while Congress member Lab Kumar Sahu from Birmaharajpur secured the remaining seat.