BJD chief Naveen Patnaik thwarts BJP challenge, looks set for fifth term as Odisha CM

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal has established a comfortable lead against its rival BJP and Congress in Odisha, trends/results show on Thursday. Counting for 147 assembly seats in Odisha is currently underway. 1,137 candidates are in the fray from 147 assembly seats in Odisha. Stay tuned with Zee News for the live updates on Assembly elections 2019 in Odisha.

PURI: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has won on 80 seats and was leading on 32 out of a total of 147 seats in the assembly elections held in the state recently, after several rounds of counting of votes on Thursday. With the official trends indicating a spectacular victory by the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in both the assembly and Lok Sabha elections, party supremo Naveen Patnaik expressed his "deep gratitude" to the voters for "showering their blessings" once again on the party.

"I would like to express my deep gratitude to the people of our state for having showered their blessings on us time and time again. I would also like to thank the leaders and workers of the party who work so hard for this election, and also to all the women who came out in large numbers to vote for us," Patnaik said. 

He also conveyed his special thanks to the women voters for turning out in large numbers and voting in favour of the BJD. 

Patnaik, who is set to become the Chief Minister of Odisha for the record fifth time, noted that his government will build a "constructive relationship" with the centre "for the development and welfare" of the state. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik won from both assembly seats he contested - Hinjili and Bijepur. It was for the first time in 19 years that Naveen Babu decided to contest from two seats to counter BJP's rising influence in western Odisha. 

1,137 candidates were in the fray from 147 assembly seats in Odisha. The main battle Odisha was between Naveen Patnaik's ruling BJD and BJP.

Welcome back to the live updates of Assembly election results 2019:

# BJD wins 84 seats, leading on 28, BJP wins 16 seats, leading on 8, Congress wins 7, leading on one seat.

#Assembly election results 2019: Here's how the vote share is stacked as of 7.22 PM (As per EC).

BJD: 44.6 percent
BJP: 32.5 percent
Congress: 16.1 percent

#Assembly election results 2019: Odisha Governor congratulates Naveen Patnaik for his party's victory in elections.  

#Assembly election results 2019: Here are the latest results from EC.

BJP: 22
BJD: 113
Congress: 9
CPI(M): 1
Independent: 1

# Assembly election results 2019: Odisha CM responds to PM's congratulatory message, tweets, ''Thank you PM @narendramodi ji for your wishes on @bjd_odisha’s spectacular performance in #OdishaElections2019. Congratulate #NDA and @BJP4India for the huge victory in #LokSabhaElections2019. Look forward to working together for the people  of #Odisha.''

Thank you PM @narendramodi ji for your wishes on @bjd_odisha’s spectacular performance in #OdishaElections2019. Congratulate #NDA and @BJP4India for the huge victory in #LokSabhaElections2019. Look forward to working together for the people of #Odisha. — Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) May 23, 2019

# Assembly election results 2019: Winning/trailing candidates:

CM Naveen Patnaik leading by 33944 votes in Bijepur Assembly constituency; BJD’s Amar Satpathy wins Barchana Assembly seat; BJD candidate Naba Kishore Das leading by 19847 votes in Jharsuguda Assembly constituency; BJD candidate Manjula Swain defeats BJP’s Debaraj Mohanty by 27,643 votes to win Aska Assembly seat; BJD’s Bhupinder Singh leading in Narla Assembly constituency; BJP's Kusum Tete leading by 3981 votes in Sundergarh constituency; BJP's Jayanarayan Mishra leading by 6577 votes in Sambalpur Assembly constituency (ECI).

# Assembly election results 2019: Patnaik is leading with 9815 votes in Honjili and 11,795 in Bijepur seat.

# Assembly election results 2019: BJD chief Naveen Patnaik is said to leading in both seats - Hinjili and Bijepur. 

​# Assembly election results 2019: While BJP is leading on 21, Congress is ahead in 8 seats. Others were leading in two seats.

​# Assembly election results 2019: In Hinjili, CM Naveen Patnaik is ahead of his nearest competitor Pitambar Acharya of the BJP by 15,191 votes. 

# Assembly election results 2019:  The ruling BJD is currently leading in 115 out of 146 Assembly seats.

# Assembly election results 2019: BJD leading on 94 seats, BJP 28 seats, Congress 12 seats, CPI-M 1 seat, JMM 1 seat and Independent on 1 seat.

# Assembly election results 2019: Twenty platoons of police forces have been deployed to ensure smooth counting of votes and violence-free celebrations after the declaration of results in Odisha, says twin city Police Commissioner Satyajit Mohanty.

# Assembly election results 2019: More police forces deployed to ensure smooth counting of votes in Odisha.

# Assembly election results 2019: According to ECI trends, BJD is leading on 54, BJP on 16, INC 6 seats. 

# Assembly election results 2019: Biju Janata Dal led by Naveen Patnaik is leading on 16 seats, BJP on 5 seats out of 146 assembly constituencies in the state.

# Assembly election results 2019: Trends available for 6 out of 146 constituencies: BJP leading on 2 seats, BJD on 7, as per ECI.

# Assembly election results 2019: Election results of Sambalpur seat to be declared first. 

# Assembly election results 2019: CM Naveen Patnaik looks to nip BJP's ambitions in the bud as he seeks the fifth term.

# Assembly election results 2019: Additional 411 tables to speed up counting in Odisha.

# Assembly election results 2019: Congress candidate from Aska Assembly seat critically injured after miscreants open fire.

# Assembly election results 2019: Counting of votes has begun in Odisha.