BJD supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today appeared set to return to power for the third consecutive term in Orissa as party candidates were leading in 77 out of the 147 assembly seats despite an acrimonious pre-poll split with BJP.
The regional party, which decided to contest the Lok Sabha and assembly polls on its own after entering into seat sharing arrangement with CPI, CPI(M) and NCP, had established leads in 14 out of the 21 parliamentary seats as well.
Patnaik led the way for BJD's impressive run, trouncing his nearest rival Raghab Parida of Congress by 60,786 votes in Hinjili assembly seat in Ganjam district. Patnaik bagged 72,402 votes in his home turf against 11,616 of Parida.
Prominent BJD leaders who were ahead of their rivals included state ministers Prafulla Ghadai, Surya Narayan Patro, Debi Prasad Mishra and Raghunath Mohanty.
However, assembly Speaker Kishore Mohanty, also a BJD candidate, was trailing in his Jharsuguda seat in western Orissa. Congress candidates were leading in 24 constituencies, while BJP nominees were ahead of their rivals in seven seats, according to trends available after the second round of counting.
Other candidates including two NCP nominees and independents were leading in nine constituencies.In a jolt to Congress, several of its candidates, including leader of opposition Ulaka Ramchandra, AICC secretary and former PCC president Jayadev Jena and former minister Niranjan Patnaik were trailing in Anandapur, Rayagada (ST) and Ghasipura seats respectively.
Congress candidates were, however, leading in Malkangiri, Kuchinda and Sanakhemundi constituencies, while party nominee Soumya Ranjan Patnaik was trailing in the Khandapara assembly seat.
BJP appeared headed for major setbacks with its senior leaders and former state ministers Biswabhushan Harichandan (Bhubaneswar Central), Samir Dey (Barabati-Cuttack) and Manmohan Samal (Bhandaripokhari) trailing.
Harichandan had won the last assembly elections from the Bhubaneswar seat registering the highest margin of victory by 81,000 votes. The ruling BJD had 61 members in the 13th assembly, while there were 38 Congress members and 32 BJP legislators in the house.
