BJP Sweeps Odisha Assembly Elections with Massive Wins

The BJP clinched 14 seats in Odisha Assembly elections and is leading in 66 others, leaving behind the BJD with seven wins and Congress with one. Amid notable BJP victories, several key BJD ministers trail behind. Odisha's political landscape witnesses a significant shift as polling trends unfold.

The BJP decisively swept the Odisha Assembly elections, securing 14 seats and leading in 66 more according to the Election Commission of India.

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) managed to win seven seats and hold leads in 42 constituencies. The Congress, meanwhile, captured just one seat and was ahead in 13 other constituencies.

Among the notable BJP successes, Prithviraj Hairchandran emerged victorious in the Chilika Assembly constituency, defeating BJD rival Raghunath Sahu by 4,566 votes. Another BJP candidate, Ashwini Kumar Sarangi, won the Bargarh Assembly seat by defeating Debesh Acharya of BJD by 4,772 votes.

BJP's Durga Prasad Tanti clinched the Raghunathpalli seat with a margin of 5,774 votes against Archanarekha Behera of BJD. Tankadhar Tripathy triumphed in Jharsuguda, defeating Depali Das of BJD by 1,333 votes. Irasis Acharya captured the Bhatli seat, trouncing Susanta Singh of BJD by a whopping 27,892 votes.

Other BJP victors included Bhabani Shankar Bhoi (Talsara), Padma Charan Haiburu (Karanjia), Kanhai Charan Danga (Kantamal), Dusmanta Kumar Swain (Khandapada), and Fakir Mohan Naik (Telkoi).

Senior BJD leader and Odisha Assembly speaker Pramila Mallik won from the Binjharpur constituency by a margin of 2,856 votes against Babita Mallick of BJP. BJD's Sarada Prasad Nayak won the Rourkela seat by defeating BJP's Dilip Kumar Ray by 3,552 votes.

BJD candidates Braja Kishore Pradhan (Talcher), Adhiraj Mohan Panigrahi (Khariar), Manohar Randhari (Dabugam), Chakramani Kanhar (Baliguda), and Devi Ranjan Tripathy (Banki) also secured victories.

Odisha Chief Minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik trailed behind BJP's Laxman Bag by 7,514 votes in the Kantabanji seat but led over BJP's Sisir Kumar Mishra by 3,861 votes in the Hinjili seat, the other seat he is contesting.

Congress candidate Mangu Khilla won the Chitrakonda segment, defeating Dambaru Sisa of BJP by 9,151 votes.

At least eight ministers in Naveen Patnaik's cabinet are trailing, including Pradip Kumar Amat (Forest and Environment), Prafulla Kumar Mallik (Works), Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak (Higher Education), Tukuni Sahu (Transport), Ashok Chandra Panda (Science and Technology), Bikram Keshari Arukha (Finance), Rita Sahu (Handlooms & Textiles), and Basanti Hembram (Women & Child Development).

Other notable BJD leaders trailing are Debi Prasad Mishra, Kallikesh Narayan Singh Deo, Susanta Singh, Ramesh Chandra Chyau Patnaik, Prafulla Samal, Snehangini Chhuria, Pushpendra Singh Deo, Ramesh Majhi, and Dibya Shankar Mishra.

The CPI(M) candidate led in one seat, with Independents leading in three others.