Odisha Election Results 2019 Latest Updates: Newly elected BJD MPs to meet Naveen Patnaik on Sunday

BJP's failure to dislodge Naveen in the state will also prove wrong PM Narendra Modi's prediction in March of a Tripura-like sweep by BJP in Odisha assembly.

While Naveen is predicted to return to power, reduced strength of BJD in the Lok Sabha may affect its bargaining powers with the Centre and cut short his stated ambition of playing an important role in government formation in New Delhi. In the 2014 polls, BJD won 20 of the 21 Lok Sabha seats. But according to exit polls, BJD is expected to win a maximum of 12 seats this time.

Elections to the 21 Lok Sabha seats and 146 out of the 147 assembly seats in Odisha were held in four phases on April 11, 18, 23 and 29.

Exit poll projections for Odisha have given both BJD and BJP something to cheer about thanks to a split verdict. While at least two exit polls predict that BJD will get a clear majority and retain power for a fifth consecutive term in the 147-member assembly, at least three other exit polls are giving BJP more Lok Sabha seats than BJD in the state. A fourth poll is giving BJP just one Lok Sabha seat less than BJD.

The exit polls, which predicted a split verdict in the state with BJP gaining a number of Lok Sabha seats and BJD retaining its hold on the assembly, has held out a mix of hope and disappointment for Odisha's high-profile contestants.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik is seeking re-election for fifth term in a row. He is in power in Odisha since 2000.

174 candidates were in fray for Lok Sabha and 1127 for the state assembly.

Total seats: LS: 21, assembly: 146 (poll was not held in one of Odisha’s total 147 seats)

The Odisha assembly has gone to poll simultaneously with Lok Sabha.