The panchayat and zilla parishad elections are being held in five phases in the state.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is putting up an impressive performance in the Zilla Parishad elections in Odisha. In the second phase, the BJP is narrowly behind the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD).
Counting is still on for second phase of Zilla Parishad elections in the state.
Even though the results are yet to be officially declared by the Election Commission later, the performance has earned party workers praise from the Prime Minister.
The ruling BJD is narrowly maintaining its leading position with its performance in the first phase of the Panchayat elections in Odisha, in spite of the challenge from the BJP. The BJD has won 103 seats of the 188 seats that have already gone to polls in the first phase of the state's Zilla Parishad elections. The BJP has won 71 seats.
The BJP has made impressive gains this time. In 2012, the BJP won just 36 of the total 854 Zilla Parishad seats. The BJD had won 656 and the Congress had won 126 seats. This time, the Congress' tally is just 11 in Phase 1.
Arun Singh, BJP's General Secretary in charge of Odisha, told NDTV, "The BJP has created a strong organisational base in the state and this will help the party in long run. The party has emerged as the main opposition party as it has taken on the Naveen Patnaik government for his failures."
The panchayat and Zilla Parishad elections are being held in five phases in the state. Voting in the first phase was held on Monday. The second phase of voting was held on Wednesday and the fifth and final phase is scheduled for February 21.
The first phase results could be a huge worry for the Congress as it could lose the position of the principal opposition voice in the state to the BJP. The state Congress chief Prasad Harichandan and the Congress Legislature Party leader in Odisha, Narsingha Mishra, could not be reached for comments.