Odisha Panchayat Polls: BJD faces rout in Western Odisha

While Western Odisha has been a stronghold of BJP for years with a strong organisational base and involvement of top leaders in the region, the BJD was not weak either.

Congress also had strong presence there. However, the panchayat polls in 2017, has proved beyond doubt that BJD has completely lost the ground, while Congress is fighting for survival.

The BJP has almost swept the Western Odisha barring a few exception. The party has made a clean sweep of 30-0 in Kalahandi in four phases. It failed only in Nuapada, home turf of party’s state unit President Basant Panda.

BJD not only lost Kalahandi to BJP, but also did poorly in Sambalpur, Bolangir, Subarnapur, Deogarh and Bargarh. Boudh was the only solace for the ruling party. Barring Nuapada, BJD is has lost all other Western Odisha districts including Mayurbhanj in North Odisha to BJP. It’s not a mere loss. It’s a near rout.