Odisha Chief Minister and BJD President Patnaik, who has remained invincible since plunging into electoral politics since the late nineties, is trailing behind BJP rival candidate from Kantabanji assembly constituency in Bolangir district of Western Odisha, according to the latest trend of the EVM counting.
Five-time CM Patnaik is also contesting from the traditional Hinjili seat in Ganjam district of southern Odisha.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), eying on its maiden victory in the Assembly polls, has taken an impressive lead in 64 seats while ruling BJD trails behind the saffron party leading in 37 seats till the latest trend available for 116 seats.
As per the latest trend, the Congress is leading in 37 seats while others are leading in 3 seats. Trends are so far available for 116 seats out of 147.
The latest trend in LS polls indicates that the BJP has left behind BJD maintaining an early lead in 17 out of 21 seats. The BJD and Congress are leading in two LS seats each.
Prominent among the BJP candidates leading as per the latest trend includes among others union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, BJP national vice-president Baijayant Panda, National spokesperson Sambit Patra, former union ministers Jual Oram, Pratap Sarangi, BJP spokesperson Aparajita Sarangi
In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) with 12 seats bagged the maximum number of seats, followed by the BJP (8) and the Congress (1).
In the last assembly election, held simultaneously with the general election in 2019, the BJD had recorded thumping electoral success winning 113 of the 147 seats. The BJP stood at distant second with 23 seats, followed by the Congress with 9. The CPM won one seat and another was won by an Independent.