Odisha Assembly Elections 2024: BJP Leading In 18 Seats, BJD Leading In 13 Seats
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s citadel Odisha is witnessing a tough fight between the BJP and Patnaik’s Biju Janata Dal (BJD). Based on reports, the BJP is currently leading in 78 seats including Kalahandi, Puri, Balangir, Bargarh, and Keonjhar. The counting of the votes is underway.
Based on reports, the BJD is now trailing behind, leading in 53 seats while the Congress is leading in 12 seats including Sundargarh.
Chief minister Patnaik is facing tough waters as the party is trailing behind in the Kantabanji constituency. While the BJP supporters are celebrating their lead, the BJD office in Bhubaneswar is quiet and empty.
In 2019, out of the 21 seats, the BJD won 12 seats, the BJP won 8 and the Congress secured one seat. Based on this year’s exist polls, a potential shift has been noticed. According to ABCVoter, the BJP is expected to win 17 to 19 seats while the India Today-My Axis predicted the party securing 18-20 seats for the saffron party.
The major BJD candidates in the electoral fray are Odisha Assembly Speaker government Chief Whip Prashant Kumar Muduli, Pramila Mallik, and state ministers Pritiranjan Ghadai, Sudam Marandi, Atanu S Nayak, Ashwini Patra, T K Behera and Pratap Deb.
The voting for the Odisha assembly polls was conducted across four phases from May 13 to June 1, simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls.
Traditionally a bastion of chief minister Patnaik-led BJD, Odisha assembly polls seek to elect 147 members to the state’s legislative assembly. The ruling BJD is looking for another term under Patnaik who has been the chief minister for over 24 years. The BJD and the BJP are contesting on 147 seats, Congress on 145 seats and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on 7 seats.
