Modi congratulates Patnaik for BJD victory in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday congratulated Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik for Biju Janata Dal's success in 2019 Assembly elections.


"Congratulations to Naveen Babu for yet another victory in Odisha. Wishing him the very best for the next term," Modi said in a twitter post following BJD's march towards forming government in the state for the fifth time in a row.

Modi's message comes as the regional party appears to be all set to script history in the state with a record fifth consecutive victory in the assembly polls. The Naveen Patnaik-led party has been on a winning spree since 2000.

BJD candidates were ahead in 111 of the 146 assembly seats for which polling was held in four phases. BJP was leading in 22 assembly seats, while Congress was ahead in 11 and CPI-M and JMM in one seat each.

Polling in Patkura assembly seat has been postponed twice following the death of a candidate and later due to cyclone Fani.

The ruling BJD is also leading in 14 of the 21 lok Sabha constituencies in the state, while BJP is ahead in seven parliamentary seats.

Patnaik was leading in his home turf Hinjili as well as Bijepur assembly segments.

In 2014 polls, BJD had bagged 117 of the 147 assembly seats and 20 of the 21 lok sabha seats.