Odisha Elections Exit Poll 2019: BJP likely to get 8-10 seats, BJD may win 11-13

The state of Odisha is probably one of those states in which the Bharatiya Janata Party is pegging to capture maximum seats. In 2014, Odisha bucked the Modi wave and the ruling party had the consolation of winning a lone Lok Sabha seat of Sundargarh. But this time, the scenario is likely to change. After the BJP had an unprecedented success in the North-eastern states namely, Tripura, Assam and Manipur, the party is aiming to spread its wings in West Bengal and Odisha as well under the ‘Look east policy’.  While a popular and youthful Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, has been projected as an alternative face to Naveen Patnaik for quite some time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah have made numerous visits to connect with the masses in Odisha. 

The mega 7-phase Lok Sabha elections have been concluded with the voting in last phase closed at 5.40 pm. After the Election Commission mandated half an hour gap, News Nation started airing the numbers from 6.30 pm. Check Live Updates Here.

Here are the LIVE UPDATES:

20.38 pm: NEWS NATION EXIT POLL: 

Odisha: Total Lok Sabha Seats: 21

BJP is all set to get 8-10 seats with 14 per cent vote share. The ruling Biju Janata Dal is likely to get 11-13 seats with 37 per cent vote share. Surprisingly, the Congress party will fail to open its account.

20.27 pm: According to the India Today- My Axis exit poll, the BJP is likely to win 15-19 seats whereas the Naveen Patnaik led BJD is predicted to secure 2-6 seats. The Congress party may get 0-1 seat.  

19.19 pm: In 2014, The BJD received 94,89,946 votes with a vote share of 44.77 per cent, while the BJP was able to garner 46,38,565 votes in the state with a vote share of 21.88 per cent. The saffron party came second in Balasore, Bargarh, Bhubaneswar, Bolangir, Dhenkanal, Kalahandi, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Sambalpur.

18.43 pm: The state sends 21 members in the Lok Sabha and the BJD won 20 seats, while the BJP was able to win a single seat of Sundargarh. Jual Oram defeated BJD's Dilip Kumar Tirkey from the constituency and relegated former chief minister and Congress leader Hemananda Biswal to the third position.

18.30 pm: In 2014 Lok Sabha Elections, Naveen Patnaik was one of the regional satraps who stood his ground against the Narendra Modi wave. The 2014 polls in Odisha were held in two phases on April 10 and 17.

18.22 pm: Kalahandi, Koraput, Berhampur and Nabrangpur voted on April 11 whereas the voters in Sundargarh, Bargarh, Aska, Kandhamal and Bolangir used their franchise on April 18. Six seats namely Puri, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Sambalpur and Bhubaneswar casted their vote on April 23 while the voting held in Jajpur, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Balasore, Bhadrak and Mayurbhanj om April 29.

17.47 pm: This year, Odisha voted in first four phases i.e. April 11, 18, 23 and 29 for Lok Sabha.

17.31 pm: The Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has been ruling the state since 2000 without any serious threat neither from the BJP nor from the Congress.

17.09 pm: 2014 Lok Sabha elections in Odisha:

The main contenders in these polls were Biju Janata Dal, Indian National Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party. The assembly elections were held simultaneously with the general elections in the state. The polls for 21 Lok Sabha seats were held in two phases on 10 and 17 April 2014, where BJD won with 44.10% vote share, Congress got 26% and BJP got 21.50% vote share.

17.08 pm: 2009 General elections in Odisha:

In 2009 general elections in Odisha, the major contenders in the state were the Third Front, Indian National Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The third front parties contesting in the state were the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the Left parties and the Nationalist Congress Party. The BJD emerged as a party with highest number of seats: 14, whereas Congress and CPI bagged 6 and 1 seats respectively.

17.07 pm: 2004 General elections in Odisha:

Elections to the 13th Legislative Assembly of Orissa were held in April 2004. 802 candidates from various political parties were in fray, contesting in a total of 147 Assembly constituencies. 1,69,33,456 valid votes were cast in which, owing to the people-centric welfarist schemes of Naveen Patnaik.