BJD heading for landslide win in Orissa (Third Lead)

BHUBANESWAR - Orissa’s ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) was far ahead of its rivals - the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress - as counting of votes for the state’s 21 Lok Sabha and 147 assembly constituencies was underway Saturday.

As per the results declared till Saturday afternoon for 51 assembly constituencies, the BJD got the highest number of seats - 42, leaving the Congress and the BJP with only four and three seats, respectively.

The BJD was also leading in majority of the remaining constituencies.

Although results for the Lok Sabha election have not yet been declared and counting was still underway, as per the trend available the BJD was also leading in 15 Lok Sabha constituencies.

The Congress was leading in six constituencies while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which had won as many as eight Lok Sabha seats in 2004 election was trailing in all the seats.

The prominent among those who lost are former state ministers Samir Dey from Cuttack assembly seat and Biswabhusan Harichandan from Bhubaneswar.

BJP’s Dharmendra Pradhan, who was a member of the outgoing Lok Sabha, was defeated in Pallahada assembly constituency.

‘I thank the people of my state. I am grateful. I feel humbled and generous,’ a smiling Naveen Patnaik said while participating in a live telecast by OTV - a local television channel.

He said that his party was victorious because of the pro-poor programme and schemes the government led by him had undertaken, and for maintaining peace and harmony in the state.

The result and the trends came as a surprise for many, not only to the political analysts but also for the BJD leaders.

BJD had earlier announced that it would get around 80 seats in the assembly. It now appears that it is likely to get close to or even cross a hundred - much more than the magic number of 74 seats it requires to form the government on its own.

Patnaik had parted ways with his long time ally, the BJP, in March which helped him to stay in power for two consecutive terms after BJD’s birth in 1988.

But now winning the election on his own strength, Patnaik has not only increased his strength but also his stature in the state.

As the results came in, hundreds of BJD workers rushed to Naveen Nivas, the official residence of Chief Minister Patnaik and greeted him with flowers.

While BJD workers were seen shouting slogans at the party office, the Congress and BJP offices wore a deserted look with most of its leaders preferring to stay at home.

‘We will analyse why we fared so poorly’ said Brhugu Baxipatra, a BJP leader.