BJP vote share in Odisha increases by almost 73%

The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) vote share in Odisha in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections increased by almost 73 per cent with the party set to increase its tally to eight seats from the two it won in 2014.

On Friday, the party confirmed its victory in five Lok Sabha seats while it was leading in three other seats, as per the Election Commission data.

The saffron party has polled 38.4 per cent of the total votes as against 21.9 per cent in the previous election.

The state's ruling Biju Janata Dal's (BJD) vote share has reduced marginally -- from 44.8 per cent in 2014 to 42.8 per cent in 2019. Also, the number of seats it has managed to win this time has reduced to 12 - won eight seats and leading on four.

In 2014, the BJD had won 20 out of the state's total 21 Lok Sabha seats.

For the Congress, the vote share reduced drastically from 26.4 per cent in 2014 to 13.8 per cent this time. However, the party still managed to win a single seat.

Among the major fights, the BJP's Sambit Patra lost to the BJD's Pinaki Mishra in Puri with a margin of 11,714 votes.

Sitting BJP MP and Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram won from Sundargarh with a winning margin of 1,23,605 votes.

In Kendrapara, the BJD's Anubhav Mohanty defeated Baijayant Panda, who had defected to the BJP earlier this year.

Five-time parliamentarian Bhartuhari Mahtab has retained Cuttack with a vote margin of 1,21,201.

Assembly polls were also held in the state simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections.

The BJD has won 95 seats while it secured a leading position in 12 of the total 146 segments in the state, thus confirming incumbent Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's return for a consecutive fifth term.

The BJP has pulled through in 19 Assembly segments and was seen leading in four seats on Friday morning.

The Congress has scored a win in eight seats besides leading in one. The Communist Party of India- Marxist opened its account in the state by winning one seat.

--IANS

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