BJP leads in 72 assembly seats in Odisha, BJD leads in 57

Bhubaneswar: BJP was leading in at least 72 assembly seats in Odisha, as per the Election Commission of India.

BJD nominees, on the other hand, were leading in 57 constituencies in 146 of 147 assembly seats in the state for which latest trends available till 1 pm.

Congress was ahead in 11 seats, the CPI (M) in one, while Independent candidates were leading in two seats, Odisha Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Nikunja Bihari Dhal said.

Several Odisha ministers were trailing.

Assembly Speaker Pramila Mallik, Finance Minister Bikram Arukha, Forest and Environment Minister PK Amat, Science and Technology Minister Ashok Panda, Water Resources Minister Tukuni Sahu, Steel and Mines Minister Prafulla Mallick, Planning and Coordination Minister Rajendra Dholakia were trailing.

Counting was underway in 70 centres across the state. Around 18-19 rounds of counting will be held for the seats.

Minister Jagannath Saraka was leading in Bissam Cuttack, and BJD's Mahesh Sahoo in Hindol.

CPI (M) candidate and sitting MLA Laxman Munda was leading in Bonai assembly constituency. Independent candidate Soumya Ranjan Patnaik was leading in Ghasipura MLA seat over BJD nominee Badri Narayan Patra.