BJD set to win Odisha rural polls with close to 90% zilla parishad seats

It leads with a win in 551 of 620 seats of which results were announced

The ruling Biju Janata Dal has completely swept elections to Panchayati Raj Institutions by taking healthy lead in 764 out of 852 zilla parishad (ZP) seats, which accounts for close to 90% seats, a rare feat in India’s electoral politics.

By Monday evening, of total 854 ZP seats, the BJD had either won or taken lead in 762 seats while BJP and Congress were trailing with 46 and 36 seats respectively.

As far as victory is concerned, of 620 seats, results of which were declared, the regional party had already won 551 seats leaving 31 and 30 for BJP and Congress respectively.

Such was the decimation that BJP, the principal opposition party, was not in situation to open its account in 10 out of 30 districts. Condition of Congress was even worse. Congress candidates had neither won nor taken lead in 18 out of 30 districts. There were four such districts where BJD was set to win 100% seats.

BJP has even failed to save its traditional bastion such as western Odisha district and Mayurbhanj and Sundargarh district.

In 2017 rural polls, the BJD candidates had won 476 out of 846 Zilla Parishad seats, the BJP came second with 297 seats and Congress had 60 seats. The BJP was no way near to its 2017 performance.