Defying the Modi wave, the Biju Janata Dal headed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was all set to sweep both Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in Odisha.
In fact, the regional party was on its way to significantly improve its performance in simultaneous polls in comparison to the 2009 elections.
The party was leading in as many as 17 of the 21 Lok Sabha seats and 110 of the 147 Assembly seats by 3.30 p.m. on Friday.
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In the seats where the party was trailing behind the nominees of the Congress and the BJP, the margin was very thin.
The BJD had bagged 14 Lok Sabha and 103 Assembly seats in the 2009 simultaneous polls.
Political analysts were of the view that Mr. Patnaik’s party was set to achieve an emphatic victory as the “Modi wave” could not cause any damage to the BJD.
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On the other hand, the Congress was going to register a disastrous performance in both the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in the State. The party was leading in just one Lok Sabha and 20 Assembly segments. It had won six Lok Sabha and 27 Assembly seats in 2009.
The BJP, however, was likely to perform better with regard to both Lok Sabha and Assembly polls. The party was leading in three Lok Sabha and 12 Assembly seats. While bagging six Assembly seats, it had failed to win even a single Lok Sabha seat in 2009.