Odisha Election Results 2019 Latest Updates: Newly elected BJD MPs to meet Naveen Patnaik on Sunday

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.

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.

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.