The Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar, has announced that assembly elections in Odisha will be conducted concurrently with the Lok Sabha elections. The assembly elections are scheduled to be held in four phases on 13th May, 20th May, 25th May, and 1st June, with the counting of votes taking place on 4th June.
In the 2019 elections, out of the 147-member Odisha Assembly, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) won 113 seats, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured 23 seats and the Indian National Congress (INC) obtained 9 seats. Additionally, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Independent candidates secured one seat each. Naveen Patnaik, serving as the Chief Minister for the fifth consecutive term, currently holds the position of the second-longest-serving CM in India, after Pawan Chamling.
Addressing concerns about electoral violence, CEC Rajiv Kumar emphasized a zero-tolerance policy, stating, “There is no place for bloodbath and violence in the elections.” He also announced measures such as drone-based border checks to prevent violence and the misuse of money power, as evidenced by an 835% increase in money seizures during the last 11 state polls in 2022-23.
Furthermore, Kumar mentioned plans to facilitate voting from home for electors above 85 years of age and persons with disabilities, demonstrating a commitment to inclusive electoral practices.
Political dynamics in Odisha are evolving, with speculation mounting that the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD), led by Naveen Patnaik, may forge an alliance with the BJP ahead of the upcoming elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the state, where he refrained from criticizing the Odisha government or the BJD, has fueled further interest in potential political realignments.
Odisha comprises 21 Lok Sabha constituencies, with 13 unreserved seats and the remainder reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST). In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJD secured 12 seats, while the BJP won 8 and the Congress claimed 1. The voter turnout stood at 76.1%, with 2,37,90,972 out of 3,12,52,333 electors casting their votes across four phases from April 11 to 29, 2019.
Prasanta Patnaik