BJP narrows gap in Odisha, leads in 8 Lok Sabha seats versus BJD's 11

Early trends show BJD cruising to power in Odisha, party leads in 73 assembly seats

Initial trends during the first few rounds of vote count show the tide in favour of the Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha.

BJD was leading in 73 of the 102 seats where counting had taken off. The number is just one seat shy of the magic figure of 74 in the state assembly's total strength of 147. If preliminary trends are any indication, the party is coasting home for a fifth straight term. 

Though unable to topple BJD, the BJP's tally in the state assembly is bound to go up with the party leading in 21 constituencies. At 2014 assembly polls, the BJP finished a modest third in Odisha, bagging 10 seats and was placed behind Congress, which won in 16 assembly constituencies. 

Judging the initial trends, the BJP feels its performance is not in sync with the euphoria before the polls. In the course of a high octane campaign, top BJP leaders in Odisha had trumpeted Mission 120, targeting to grab 120 seats in the state.

"These are initial trends only. We had worked tirelessly to accomplish our Mission 120 in Odisha. But in Lok Sabha, our party is putting up an impressive show and we are confident of triumphing in 15 or more seats," said Arun Singh, BJP leader and overseer of the party's Odisha affairs.

Indeed, the early counting trends reflect the BJP pocketing major gains at the expense of the BJD in Lok Sabha contest. BJP was shown to be leading in eight constituencies against 11 by the BJD. It seems the BJP is squaring up with the BJD in 2019 Parliamentary polls. In 2014, the BJD had decimated its Opposition, bagging 20 of the 21 seats. The lone seat for the BJP at Sundargarh was won by Jual Oram after a gruelling contest with BJD's Dilip Tirkey.

For the BJP, Oram, the Union tribal affairs is leading again as he seeks re-election from Sundargarh. Aparajita Sarangi who chucked her IAS job and joined BJP is seen leading from Bhubaneswar where she's pitted against BJD candidate Arup Patnaik, former Mumbai police commissioner. The BJP is also maintaining lead in Bolangir and tribal dominated Mayurbhanj constituency. 

BJD strongman Pinakhi Mishra leads in Puri Lok Sabha constituency where BJP's national spokesman Sambit Patra is in the fray. The incumbent BJD is also acing opponents at Balasore, Bargarh and Aska, early trends suggested.