Exit polls indicate a strong showing for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Odisha, with predictions of winning at least 15 of the state’s 21 Lok Sabha seats. Odisha, currently governed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), could see a significant shift in political power.
According to the Jan Ki Baat exit poll, BJP is projected to win 15-18 seats, while the BJD is expected to secure between 3-7 seats. The I.N.D.I.A. alliance is not predicted to win any seats.
The India TV-CNX exit poll has predicted BJP to win 15-17 seats, INDIA up to 1 and the BJD 4-6 seats. Jan Ki Baat exit poll prediction has given 15-18 seats to BJP, zero to INDIA alliance and 3-7 to BJD.
News 24-Today’s Chanakya predicted 16 seats for the BJP, 1 for INDIA, and 4 for the BJD. The Axis My India Today survey says BJP is likely to win 18-20 seats, whereas the ruling BJD is projected to win 2 seats.
Key candidates in the state include Pratap Sarangi (Balasore), Manju Lata Mandal (Bhadrak), Sarmistha Sethi (Jajpur), and Rajashree Mallick (Jagatsinghpur). Other notable figures include Odisha Assembly Speaker Pramila Mallik, Government Chief Whip Prashant Kumar Mudili, and Odisha ministers Sudam Marandi, Ashwini Patra, Pritiranjan Ghadai, Atanu S Nayak, Pratap Deb, and T K Behera.
In the 2014 general elections, the BJD dominated, winning 20 out of 21 seats. In 2019, the BJD’s count dropped to 12 seats.