People want us to do some course correction: Patnaik

Taking the verdict of the Odisha panchayat polls "positively", Chief Minister and ruling BJD president Naveen Patnaik today said people want some course correction in the functioning of the party and the government.
"We accept the verdict of people with all humility and very positively. They (people) are generally happy with our performance but want us to do some course correction," he said a day after the results of the Zilla Parisad polls held across the state in five phases were announced.
Though the ruling party won 180 zilla parishad seats less this time compared to the 2012 rural polls, Patnaik, reacting to the poll result for the first time, said, "I am grateful to the people for having faith in BJD and giving it absolute majority with 56 per cent of seats."

The party's candidates have done well in most districts, but in some they performed less than what was expected, he said.
"People have given us a golden opportunity for serious introspection - they want us to perform and deliver. I am thankful to the people of Odisha for such a clarity in their verdict," he said, adding BJD would review its performance "very seriously".
Patnaik said he would make suitable correctives both in terms of government and on organisational issues.

"We shall work harder, reconnect with the people to fulfill their expectations. I am confident that Biju Janata Dal will return to office again in 2019 with a thumping majority with the blessings of the people by virtue of our good work," he said.

The chief minister congratulated the elected members of the panchayati raj institutions (PRI) and asked them to work hard by improving governance and strengthening the PRIs.
Patnaik also congratulated the people of Odisha for coming out in large numbers and exercising their franchise freely and fearlessly during the polls.
BJD secured 473 zilla parishad seats followed by the BJP which had a haul of 297 seats. Congress was pushed to the third position with 60 seats.
Among other parties, CPI bagged two seats, while the CPI(M), JMM and Ama Odisha Party got one seat each.
Independent candidates won in 11 seats.

Out of the total 853 zilla parishad zones in the state, the elections this time were held in 846.