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Ruling BJD has surged ahead in the Assembly polls in Odisha, leading in 49 seats in the 147 member State Assembly while Opposition Congress was leading in 13 states.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was among the 66 BJD candidates leading while the Congress was ahead in 13 seats and the BJP was in lead in 11 seats.
Patnaik was leading by over 4376 votes over his nearest Congress rival Sibaram Patra in the Hinjili seat.
Among Patnaik's cabinet colleague leading in their seats are S N Patro (Digapahandi) by 1375 over his Congress rival Saka Sujit Kumar, Bikram Keshari Arukh (Bhjanjanagar) was leading by over 6000 votes, Lal Behari Himirika (Rayagada) and Niranjan Pujari (Sonepur) were leading by end of the first round of counting.
Youth Affairs minister Ramesh Majhi and Usha Devi were trailing at Jharigram assembly segment in Nabarangpur district.
The prominent leaders who have been trailing were:former minister and sitting MLA A U Singhdeo (Balangir), film star T P satpathy alias Papu Pom Pom at Champua in Keonjhar district.
Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Jaydev Jena was among the prominent leaders trailing as per early trends, while Hema Gamang, the wife of former chief minister Giridhar Gamang is also trailing at Laxmipur assembly segment. Former speaker and BJD veteran Kishore Mohanty was trailing at Jharsuguda assembly segment.
The Congress candidates who were leading included: former minister Narasingha Mishra (Balangir) and Tara Prasad Bahinipati (Jeypore).
Senior Congress leader Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra was also trailing at Brahmagiri assembly segment. Congress candidate and suspended BJP MLA Bhimsen Choudhury was trailing at Bonai assembly segment while Samata Kanti Dal leader and prominent trade union leader George Tirkey was trailing at Biramitrapur.
Former BJP state president Manmohan Samal was also trailing at Chandabali segment.
The latest report said that Odisha's Finance minister Prasanna Acharya was trailing at Bijepur assembly segment.
School and mass education minister Rabi Narayan Nanda was also trailing at Jeypore assembly segment. Former NCP leader and prominent BJD leader Amar Prasad Satpathy was also trailing at Badachana.
