According to the early trends from the Election Commission of India, the BJP is currently leading in 73 Assembly seats, while the BJD is ahead in 50 seats. To secure a majority and form the government in Odisha, a party needs to win at least 74 out of the 147 seats in the state Assembly.
PM Modi challenge won, BJP defeated Naveen Patnaik on 4th June
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s prediction that 4th June 2024 would mark the end of Naveen Patnaik’s 24-year reign in Odisha came true on Tuesday 4th June 2024. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) halted the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief’s bid to become the longest-serving chief minister in India.
In an interview given to ANI on 28 May 2024, PM Modi had challenged the victory of BJP in Odisha. Watch the Video.
#WATCH | On the Assembly elections in Odisha, PM Modi says "The fate of Odisha is about to change, the government is changing. I have said that the expiry date of the current Odisha government is June 4 and on June 10, the BJP CM will take oath in Odisha."
For the first time, Patnaik will be part of the Opposition. By the time the press received the final updates, the BJP had secured or was leading in 78 seats, a significant increase from 22 seats in 2019, in the 147-member Assembly. The majority mark is 74. The BJD secured or was leading in 51 seats, a sharp decline from 112 in the last election. The Congress improved its tally to 14 seats, up by five from 2019.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party focused its campaign on emotional issues connected to Odia pride, particularly the Jagannatha temple. This strategy resonated strongly with the voters.
Unlike the 2019 elections, there was no split voting this time, as the state conducted the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections simultaneously.
Naveen Patnaik has served as Odisha Chief Minister since 2000
Since its formation in 1997, Patnaik has never faced defeat. However, the 77-year-old, going for a record sixth consecutive term, was trailing in the Kantabanji constituency, although he retained his Hinjili seat. At least eight of his cabinet ministers lost their seats.
From the year 2000, Naveen Patnaik has been the chief minister of Odisha. If re-elected this time, he would start his sixth term and could become India’s longest-serving Chief Minister, surpassing former Sikkim CM Pawan Kumar Chamling’s record.
In the 2019 Odisha Assembly polls, Patnaik’s Biju Janata Dal (BJD) won a comfortable majority with 112 seats. The BJP secured 23 out of the 147 assembly seats.
While the BJD claims to keep a neutral stance towards national parties, it has supported BJP’s initiatives in Parliament over the past decade. The BJD and BJP were allies for nearly ten years until 2009. However, they became rivals in Odisha after attempts to form a pre-poll alliance failed in early 2023.
