Odisha Election Results 2019 Latest Updates: Newly elected BJD MPs to meet Naveen Patnaik on Sunday
THE TIMES OF INDIA | May 24, 2019, 20:58:28 IST
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Odisha Election Results 2019 Latest Updates: Newly elected BJD MPs to meet Naveen Patnaik on Sunday

Odisha's ruling BJD set to form its government for a fifth straight term, negating a Modi wave that is sweeping the country with its candidates leading in 112 of the state's 146 seats. Stay with TOI for all the live updates
09:23 (IST) May 23
BJD candidate Sudhir Samal is leading in Dhenkanal assembly seat
09:21 (IST) May 23
BJP's Sushant Pradhan is leading in Boudh
09:21 (IST) May 23
BJD's Manjula Swain is leading in Aska assembly seat
09:08 (IST) May 23
BJD is leading in Nabarangpur Lok Sabha seat
09:02 (IST) May 23
BJP leads in Dhenkanal Lok Sabha seat
08:56 (IST) May 23
Congress is leading in Nabarangpur parliamentary constituency
08:53 (IST) May 23
BJP is leading in Balangir Lok Sabha constituency
08:49 (IST) May 23
The counting is being held in 63 centres across the state. The Election Commission has received around 1 lakh postal ballots.
08:48 (IST) May 23
Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha Seat
Key contenders: Aparajita Sarangi (BJP), Arup Patnaik (BJD) Fight for Bhubaneswar is largely between two former bureaucrats. Aparajita Sarangi (BJP), who took voluntary retirement from her IAS job last year, and former Mumbai police commissioner Arup Patnaik (BJD). The Congress has not fielded anyone, and instead it is supporting CPM’s Janardan Pati. All the three are making poll debut from the prestigious LS seat, held by BJD’s Prasanna Patsani in a row since 1998. However, the stage is set for a BJD versus BJP showdown. Stakes are high for both. Aparajita is perceived to have connect with people of the Smart City since she worked here as a municipal commissioner (2006-2009). She had made a mark by pioneering the concept of vending zones for street vendors and personally supervising cleaning of the city. Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Naveen Patnaik have held roadshows in Bhubaneswar to galvanize support for candidates of their respective parties.
08:37 (IST) May 23
Kendrapada Lok Sabha seat
Key contenders: Baijayant Panda (BJP), Anubhav Mohanty (BJD) Dharinidhar Nayak (Congress) 2014 LS: Baijayant (BJD) had defeated Dharinidhar Nayak (Cong) by more than 2 lakh votes. It’s battle of prestige for the BJD as the Naveen Patnaik-led regional party fights to defend its stronghold — hunting ground of party ideologue and Naveen’s father Biju Patnaik — where it never faced defeat. Biju was elected from Kendrapada thrice (1977, 1980 and 1984). Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda, who won from the seat in past two elections on BJD ticket, is contesting from BJP this time after his bitter separation from the Naveen Patnaik-led party. Looking for hat-trick, Baijayant faces the regional party’s Anubhav Mohanty, popular actor and Rajya Sabha member. With Naveen throwing his entire weight, the fight has become Naveen versus Modi battle here. Naveen, who usually refrains from making any personal attack against anyone, used a public meeting in Kendrapada, to target his friend-turned-foe Baijayant, saying the latter betrayed his as well as people’s trust by working only for expansion of his own industries instead of working for industrialization of Kendrapada. Modi, who had not named Naveen in his personal attacks during his entire campaign, chose a rally in Kendrapada to target the regional satrap, saying the latter was promoting violence like in West Bengal. Congress had never won from the seat except 1952.
08:20 (IST) May 23
Puri Lok Sabha seat
Key contenders: Sambit Patra (BJP) and Pinaki Mishra (BJD) BJP’s TV face Sambit Patra has locked horns with sitting BJD MP and Supreme Court lawyer Pinaki Mishra and journalist-turned politician Satya Prakash Nayak of the Congress. The three are spokespersons of their respective parties. On campaign trail, Patra has attracted eyeballs by staying overnight in villages, having dinner with poor families, bathing in village ponds and sporting tilak on his forehead. Puri battle is being watched keenly in Odisha, because there was speculation that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would contest from the constituency. In its manifesto, the BJP has announced to make Puri the cultural capital of India if voted in Odisha, as the state assembly goes to poll simultaneously with Lok Sabha. Puri has been BJD bastion where the regional party never lost any election it fought since 1998. Political analysts feel the fight is mainly between BJP and BJD.
08:18 (IST) May 23
Three-tier security arrangement at the centres. Sixty-nine companies of central paramilitary forces and 127 platoons of special armed forces are deployed.
08:06 (IST) May 23
Counting of postal ballots starts
07:55 (IST) May 23
The election results of the Sambalpur constituency are likely to be declared first as the seat will see only 19 rounds of counting - the lowest in the state. The Patnagarh constituency will have the most number of rounds - 49.
07:42 (IST) May 23
In Bhubaneswar, IAS officer-turned politician Aparajita Sarangi (BJP) is lodged in a fierce battle with former Mumbai police commissioner Arup Patnaik. Former DGP Prakash Mishra faces seasoned politician Bhartuhari Mahtab in Cuttack. BJP’s TV face Sambit Patra challenges sitting BJD MP and Supreme Court lawyer Pinaki Mishra in Puri.
07:26 (IST) May 23
Results are being keenly watched in the LS seats of Kendrapada, Puri, Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. In Kendrapada, Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda, who won from the seat in past two elections on BJD ticket, is contesting from BJP this time and is pitted against actor-turned politician Anubhav Mohanty (BJD) and Dharinidhar Nayak (Congress).
07:11 (IST) May 23
BJP leaders are of the view that the saffron party will replace the BJD in the state. "The writing on the wall is clear. Apart from contributing substantial number of MPs from the state to strengthen Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s hands, the BJP will form the government in the state and work towards its promise of a New Odisha,” says state BJP president Basanta Panda.
07:04 (IST) May 23
The Naveen-led party has publically said it would be open to support any political formation which fulfils Odisha’s legitimate demands of special category status.
07:00 (IST) May 23
Though there is no official confirmation, both NDA and UPA are believed to have reached out to Naveen seeking his support in case of a hung Parliament.