Bhubaneswar, June 4: Initial trends showed massive gains for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in both Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Odisha on Tuesday. 

As per the initial trends coming out of the Election Commission of India (ECI) data, the BJP is leading on 17 seats, while the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Congress are ahead in two seats each out of the 21 Lok Sabha constituencies in Odisha.

Several BJP heavyweights like Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, party spokesperson Sambit Patra, national Vice President Baijayant Panda, ex-Union Minister Pratap Chandra Sarangi, and Aparajita Sarangi are leading from Sambalpur, Puri, Kendrapara, Balasore. and Bhubaneswar, respectively.

The early trends for the Assembly elections to 147 seats don't augur well for the over two-decade rule of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, as the opposition BJP is leading in 57 seats, followed by the BJD (38), and the Congress (6). 

While CM Patnaik is leading in both Hinjili and Kantabanji Assembly constituencies, many senior BJD leaders and ministers are trailing the BJP candidates in their respective seats.

Former Minister Tukuni Sahoois is trailing in Titlagarh, while Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak is behind in Mahakalpada.

Notably, the BJP won just 8 Lok Sabha and 23 Assembly seats in Odisha in 2019.

(IANS)

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