The Election Commission on Saturday, March 16, announced that Odisha will go to polls on for the state Assembly on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1.
The result will be declared on June 4. The elections will be held for the 147-member legislative assembly.
In 2019, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), led by incumbent Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, returned to power with a landslide victory by winning 112 out of total 147 seats.
Here’s a look at key factors as Odisha gears up for the upcoming Assembly elections 2024.
Total seats and majority mark to form government
Political parties will be contesting for a total of 147 seats. A party needs to win 74 seats to get a majority and form the government.
2019 Odisha Assembly election results
In the 2019 Odisha Legislative elections, BJD won 112 seats while Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came second with 23 seats. Congress won only nine seats while Communist Party of India (Marxist) and an Independent candidate won one seat each.
Naveen Patnaik
BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik is the current chief minister of Odisha. He has become the second longest-serving CM of any Indian state after former Sikkim CM Pawan Kumar Chamling, who remained in power for 25 years.
Naveen Patnaik has been holding the post of CM for the last 24 years ever since he took over office on March 5, 2000.
In 2019 election, he won from both Hinjili and Bijepur constituencies and later vacated the Bijepur seat.
Key political battle in Odisha
The state has been witnessing a triangular fight among the ruling BJD, Opposition BJP and Congress, which has been pushed to third position after the 2019 elections.
In 2024 too, a direct fight among these three political parties is expected though there is high speculation over a BJD-BJP alliance. However, both the parties have not yet formally announced any pre-poll alliance. On the other hand, the Congress, which is out of power since 2000 in the state, is gearing up to oust the Naveen Patnaik government.
Voter turnout in 2019
In 2019, the overall voter turnout in the state was 73.2%, while the total electorate size was more than 2.37 crore.
