Shifting sands in coastal states: Patnaik's rule ends as BJP is set to form govt in Odisha while its partner TDP in AP returns to power

The five-term Naveen Patnaik rule ended in Odisha, and BJP is set to form its first government in the eastern coastal state after win - ning a majority in the assembly elections on Tuesday. At the time of going to press, BJP had ensured a majority after winning 74 out of 147 assembly seats besides leading in another four. In 2019, BJP could win only 23 seats.

BJD, which won 117 seats in 2019, has come down to 51 seats, losing all over the state. The chief minister himself was losing in one of the two seats he contested from, trailing his BJP opponent Laxman Bag in Kantabanji in western Odisha by more than 16,000 votes. He won from Hinjili in coastal Odisha by 4,636 votes.

Sources tell ET that BJP will appoint two observers on Wednesday for the legislative party meeting in the state where a new chief minister will be elected. The swearing in ceremony is likely to take place next week.

BJP made ‘Odia asmita’ and ‘Odia pride’ a major poll plank during its campaign and focused its attack on Patnaik’s close aide VK Pandian who is from Tamil Nadu. Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the campaign from the front and addressed several poll rallies. In his speeches, he continuously made a veiled attack on Pandian, saying that a coterie of bureaucrats is trying to grab political power through Patnaik. The results indicate that this found resonance with the people of Odisha where a fervour for change was strongly emerging on the ground.


As the poll progressed, BJP consolidated its position and turned the anger on the ground in favour of the party. At one point, there was also an alli - ance talk between BJP and BJD, but the BJP leadership decided to contest on its own in line with the advice of its state leaders. While BJP won more seats in the assembly, its vote share was slightly less than that of BJD.

BJP increased its vote share in the assembly polls from 32.49% to 40.07% while BJD got reduced from 44.71% to 40.22%. In LS polls in the state, though, BJP had over 45% vote share while BJD had over 37%.