"BJD will sweep 2nd phase of polls", says VK Pandian

Bhubaneshwar (Odisha) [India], May 20 (ANI): BJD leader VK Pandian expressed confidence that the ruling Biju Janata Dal led by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will sweep the second phase of elections in the state.
Polling for 35 assembly constituencies of the Odisha legislative assembly and five Lok Sabha seats is underway.
"BJD will do very well in the second phase of the elections. Maybe much better than the first phase of elections. (Naveen Patnaik) Chief Minister's hard work, government's committment, people have a lot of faith and BJD will sweep the second phase of elections also," Pandian told ANI.
Replying to a query, he said, "Yesterday the roadshow at Sambalpur shows how popular (CM) Naveen babu and BJD's schemes are. So, we could see a huge transformation happening here".
The Assembly and Lok Sabha polls in the BJD-ruled state are being held across four phases - from May 13 to June 1.
Polling for the first phase was conducted in 28 Assembly seats and four Lok Sabha constituencies on May 13.
In the last assembly elections in 2019, the BJD won 112 out of 146 seats, while the BJP had to settle for just 23 seats and the Congress finished at 9.
In the Lok Sabha elections in the same year, the BJD won 12 seats, the BJP finished a close second at 8, and the Congress bagged just a lone seat.
Voting for the fifth phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections 2024 began on Monday morning across 49 parliamentary constituencies spread over six states and two Union Territories (UTs) amid tight security and arrangements.
The Lok Sabha elections are being held across seven phases, from April 19 to June 1.
The counting is scheduled for June 4.
The Narendra Modi-led BJP is seeking a third term in power, while the opposition INDIA bloc is aiming to wrest power by stopping the juggernaut. (ANI)