# 1961 Odisha Legislative Assembly election

Elections to the Third Odisha Legislative Assembly were held 1961.

## Constituencies

The elections were held for 140 constituencies, of which 25 were reserved for Scheduled Castes, 29 for Scheduled Tribes and 86 unreserved.

## Contesting parties

There are three national parties (the Communist Party of India, Congress and the Praja Socialist Party), one state party (Ganatantra Parishad), one registered unrecognised party (Jharkhand Party) and some Independent Politicians. All took part in this assembly election. The Congress party won a clear majority for the first time in Orissa by winning 58% of the seats with a vote share of 43.28%. The 1961 election was the first decisive election which resulted non-coalition govt. in the state. The post of Chief Minister saw successive replacements during this period. Bijayananda Pattanaik became the Chief Minister of Odisha and remained in power till 1963, when he was called by the national high command for reforming the party. He was replaced by the Bengali Biren Mitra, and finally by Sadasiba Tripathy in 1965 when corruption charges were brought against Mitra.

## Results

Summary of results of the 1961 Odisha Legislative Assembly election :
| Party | Seats Contested | Won | Net Change in seats | % of Seats | Votes | Vote % | Change in vote % |
| Indian National Congress | 140 | 82 | 26 | 58.57 | 12,69,000 | 40.58 | 5.02 |
| Ganatantra Parishad | 121 | 37 | 14 | 26.42 | 6,55,099 | 20.95 | 1.51 |
| Praja Socialist Party | 43 | 10 | 1 | 7.14 | 3,22,305 | 10.30 | 20.03 |
| Communist Party of India | 35 | 4 | 5 | 3.57 | 2,33,971 | 7.48 | 18.92 |
| Jharkhand Party | 9 | 0 | "New" | 0 | 25,602 | 0.81 | "New" |
| Independent | 187 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4,26,302 | 13.63 | N/A |
| | Total Seats | 140 ( 0) | Voters | 85,51,743 | Turnout | 31,27,245 (36.57%) | 31,27,245 (36.57%) |

## Elected members

| Constituency | Reserved for (SC/ST/None) | Member | Party |
| Omerkote | None | Tripathy Sadasiva | Indian National Congress |
| Dabugam | None | Tripathy Jagannath | Indian National Congress |
| Nowrangpur | SC | Harijan Miru | Indian National Congress |
| Jeypore | None | Patnaik Raghunath | Indian National Congress |
| Kotpad | SC | Bakria Mahadebo | Indian National Congress |
| Malkangiri | ST | Nayak Guru | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Padwa | None | Mahapatra Ganeswar | Indian National Congress |
| Koraput | ST | Toyaka Sanganna | Indian National Congress |
| Pottangi | ST | Pangi Musuri Santa | Indian National Congress |
| Rayagada | ST | Mandangi Kamayya | Indian National Congress |
| Gunupur | None | Patro Narasingo | Indian National Congress |
| Bissamcuttack | ST | Chowdhary Biswanath | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Parlakimedi | None | Nalla Kurmanaikulu | Indian National Congress |
| R. Udaigiri | ST | Bhoya Ramo | Indian National Congress |
| Digapahandi | None | Mahapatra Raghunath | Indian National Congress |
| Mohana | SC | Naik Biswnath | Indian National Congress |
| Berhampur | None | Narendra Deo Sisirkumar | Independent |
| Patrapur | SC | Jani Trilochana | Indian National Congress |
| Dura | None | P. Venkata Jaganatha Rao | Indian National Congress |
| Chatrapur | None | Mahapatra Lakshman | Communist Party of India |
| Khallikote | None | Mardaraj Deo Ramchandra | Indian National Congress |
| Hinjili | None | Nayak Brundaban | Indian National Congress |
| Kodala West | None | Das Biswanath | Indian National Congress |
| Kodala East | None | Panigarhi Lingaraj | Indian National Congress |
| Bhanjanagar | None | Pradhan Magunicharan | Indian National Congress |
| Jagannath Prasad | SC | Naik Udia | Indian National Congress |
| Aska | None | Mishra Lokanath | Indian National Congress |
| Suruda | None | Naik Arjuna | Indian National Congress |
| Balliguda | ST | Podra Dubara | Ganatantra Parishad |
| G Udayagiri | ST | Padhi Sarangadhar | Indian National Congress |
| Phulbani | None | Padhi Himanusekhara | Indian National Congress |
| Boudh | SC | Dipa Anirudha | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Madanpur Rampur | None | Deo Birakeshari | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Bhawanipatna | ST | Majhi Anchal | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Kashipur | None | Debi Nabakumari | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Koksara | SC | Naik Dayanidhi | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Junagarh | None | Naik Maheswar | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Dharamgarh | ST | Naik Mukund | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Khariar | None | Deo Anupsingh | Indian National Congress |
| Nawapara | ST | Majhi Gahshiram | Independent |
| Kantabanji | None | Deo Maharaja Shri Rajendra Narayan Singh | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Titilagarh | SC | Mahananda Achyutanand | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Saintala | None | Sahoo Ainthu | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Patnagarh | ST | Bhoi Ramesh Chandra | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Loisingha | None | Misra Ram Prasad | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Bolangir | ST | Singh Chandra Sekhar | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Tusra | None | Misra Nanda Kishore | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Binka | None | Nanda Antarama | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Sonepur | SC | Ganda Daulata | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Melchhamunda | None | Padhee Sachidanand | Indian National Congress |
| Padampur | ST | Singh Bariha Bir Bikramaditya | Indian National Congress |
| Bargarh | None | Padhan Gananath | Independent |
| Bijepur | SC | Nag Mohan | Indian National Congress |
| Bhatli | None | Padhan Saraswati | Indian National Congress |
| Sambalpur | None | Babu Banamali | Indian National Congress |
| Attabira | SC | Chhuria Dalganjan | Indian National Congress |
| Katarbaga | None | Misra Bishnu Prasad | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Deogarh | ST | Thakur Jayadeb | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Rairakhol | None | Deb Bhanugang Tribhuban Raja | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Brajrajnagar | None | Panda Prasanna Kumar | Communist Party of India |
| Jharsuguda | ST | Bariha Binod Bihari | Indian National Congress |
| Sundergarh | None | Patel Harihar | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Talsara | ST | Pradhan Gangadhar | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Rajgangpur | ST | Amat Rangabalabh | Indian National Congress |
| Bisra | ST | Bhagat Premchand | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Bonai | ST | Mohapatra Hemendra Prasad | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Champua | ST | Naik Guru Charan | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Patna | None | Mishra Rajbalabh | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Keonjhar | None | Bhani Deo Janardan | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Telkoi | ST | Munda Govinda | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Ramachandrapur | None | Kuanr Muralidhar | Indian National Congress |
| Anandpur | SC | Sethi Makar | Indian National Congress |
| Pal Lahora | None | Pradhan Pabitra Mohan | Indian National Congress |
| Talcher | None | Pradhan Pabitra Mohan | Indian National Congress |
| K. Nagar | None | Tripathy Brundaban | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Dhenkanal | None | Devi Ratnaprova | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Gondia | ST | Dehuri Kalia | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Chendipada | SC | Nayak Pada | Indian National Congress |
| Angul | None | Singh Kumuda Chandra | Indian National Congress |
| Athmallik | None | Panigrahy Khetramohan | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Banpur | None | Mishra Raghunath | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Daspalla | SC | Nayak Saheb | Indian National Congress |
| Khandpara | None | Singh Mardaraj Bharamarbar Ray Harihar | Indian National Congress |
| Nayagarh | None | Singh Brundaban Chandra | Indian National Congress |
| Ranpur | None | Ram Ramachandra | Communist Party of India |
| Begunia | None | Paikray Gongadhar | Communist Party of India |
| Khurda | None | Patnaik Banamali | Indian National Congress |
| Bhubaneswar | None | Mahanty Satyapriya | Indian National Congress |
| Balipatna | SC | Bhoi Gopinath | Indian National Congress |
| Brahmagiri | None | Patra Gopabadhu | Independent |
| Puri | None | Prathihari Bhagwan | Indian National Congress |
| Satyabadi | None | Deb Raj Raj | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Pipili | None | Patnaik Ramachandra | Indian National Congress |
| Kakatpur | None | Mohanty Upendra | Indian National Congress |
| Nimapara | SC | Sethi Gobinda | Indian National Congress |
| Banki | None | Praharaj Gokulananda | Praja Socialist Party |
| Baramba | None | Nayak Bidyadhar | Indian National Congress |
| Athgarh | None | Dash Achutananda | Independent |
| Cuttack City | None | Mitra Biren | Indian National Congress |
| Choudwar | None | Pattanik Bijoyananda | Indian National Congress |
| Cuttack Sadar | SC | Mallick Laxman | Indian National Congress |
| Jagatsinghpur | None | Dey Priyanath | Indian National Congress |
| Govindpur | SC | Mallik Kanduri Charan | Praja Socialist Party |
| Mahanga | None | Patnaik Surendranath | Indian National Congress |
| Salepur | SC | Behera Baidhar | Praja Socialist Party |
| Balikuda | None | Das Bipin Bihari | Indian National Congress |
| Ersama | None | Ratnamali Jema | Indian National Congress |
| Tirtol | None | Mohanty Pratap Chandr | Indian National Congress |
| Patkura | None | Mishra Lokanath | Indian National Congress |
| Rajnagar | None | Nayak Padma Charan | Independent |
| Aul | None | Bhanja Deo Raja Sailendra Narayan | Indian National Congress |
| Kendrapara | None | Sahu Dhruba Charan | Praja Socialist Party |
| Pattamundei | SC | Malik Prahallad | Indian National Congress |
| Binjharpur | None | Nayak Chittaranjan | Indian National Congress |
| Berchana | None | Lenka Dhananjaya | Indian National Congress |
| Dharmasala | None | Dutta Gadadhep | Indian National Congress |
| Sukinda | SC | Singh Baidhar | Indian National Congress |
| Jajpur West | None | Pattanayak Madan Mohan | Indian National Congress |
| Jajpur East | SC | Das Santanu Kumar | Indian National Congress |
| Dhamnagar | None | Jena Muralidhar | Indian National Congress |
| Basudebpur | None | Routroy Nilamani | Indian National Congress |
| Chandbali | SC | Jena Bairagi | Indian National Congress |
| Bhadrak | None | Mohapatra Nityananda | Independent |
| Soro | None | Panigrahi Karunakar | Indian National Congress |
| Simulia | SC | Das Bhagiratha | Indian National Congress |
| Nilgiri | None | Mardaraj Harichandan Raja Rajendrachandra | Ganatantra Parishad |
| Balasore | None | De Bijoy Krishna | Indian National Congress |
| Basta | None | Baug Maheswar | Praja Socialist Party |
| Bhograi | None | Das Pyari Mohan | Praja Socialist Party |
| Jaleswar | None | Paul Prasanna Kumar | Praja Socialist Party |
| Kunta | None | Dash Prasanna Kumar | Praja Socialist Party |
| Baisinga | SC | Patra Arjun | Praja Socialist Party |
| Udala | ST | Tudu Man Mohan | Indian National Congress |
| Karanjia | None | Behera Pravakar | Indian National Congress |
| Jashipur | ST | Triya Mochiram | Indian National Congress |
| Rairangpur | ST | Singh Chandra Mohan | Indian National Congress |
| Bahalda | ST | Soren Sunaram | Indian National Congress |
| Bangiriposi | ST | Nayak Iswar Chandra | Indian National Congress |
| Baripada | None | Sahu Santosh Kumar | Indian National Congress |
| Muruda | ST | Soren Sakila | Praja Socialist Party |