Bhubaneswar: With voting now over in 15 Lok Sabha seats and 105 parliamentary constituencies in Odisha, both the ruling BJD and the opposition BJP claimed to have an absolute majority to form the government.
A day after Chief Minister and BJD leader Naveen Patnaik asserted that his party would form a “very stable” government, his close aide VK Pandian on Sunday said the BJD’s win percentage in each of the three phases of elections was “85 per cent”.
“The BJD is winning the elections with a landslide victory and its chances of winning in these three election phases will be 85 per cent,” Pandian told reporters here.
Similarly, former BJP state president and senior leader KV Singh Deo, at a press conference on Sunday, asserted that the saffron party would form the government with a two-thirds majority.
“The BJP will form the government in Odisha with a two-thirds majority. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already issued an invitation. There is no doubt that the BJP will form the government in the state,” Singh Deo said.
Odisha is holding simultaneous polls in four phases for 21 Lok Sabha seats and 147 Assembly constituencies. The first three phases of voting have concluded and the final phase is scheduled for June 1.
Asked about the exact number of seats the BJD is expected to win, Pandian did not give a specific figure but asserted that regional parties are sweeping the elections with 80-85 per cent vote share.
Pandian also claimed that the BJD already has the majority it needs to form the government in the 105 seats where elections have concluded and he was confident that the party would win an even larger majority in the final stages.
“With the blessings of Lord Jagannath and the love of the people of Odisha, the BJD will secure an even greater majority in the fourth phase of polls,” Pandian said.
Commenting on the high voter turnout in Bhubaneswar, Pandian said the strong support was due to BJD’s policies that benefit the middle class.
He highlighted initiatives like the ‘Noor Odisha’ scholarship and youth budget that have struck a chord with young voters and instilled confidence in them.
Pandian accused the opposition BJP of shedding crocodile tears and spreading misinformation and false stories.
“They have nothing to say about rising prices, jobs and other urgent issues, so they are spreading misinformation and lies to voters. Nobody takes them seriously,” he said.
He also criticised the BJP’s performance in the last decade, saying it had not provided any relief from inflation and soaring oil, gas and food prices.
Published May 26, 2024 18:59 IST
