BJP has already started calling it the beginning of the end of BJD rule in Odisha. In an unprecedented result, the party ruling at the Centre has performed exceptionally well in the just-concluded panchayat elections in the state.

BJP has improved its tally by a whopping 850 per cent as compared with the 2012 elections. It has not just made major inroads into the areas of dominance of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's BJD but it has also become the main opposition party, pushing Congress to the third position.

The spectacular result of BJP in the panchayat elections has generated hope among the party leaders. Talking to India Today, Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, "This is a proof of the all-round growing support for BJP's good governance at the Centre. It has generated hope among the states where BJP is not in power."

Asked the manner in which he looked at the panchayat election results, Naqvi said, "It will definitely have a major impact on the 2019 Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections. The result is a clear proof of what lies ahead in future. BJD's downfall has started."

FINAL TALLY

36 ?? 306 an incredible journey of BJP in #Odisha. Final Result - 849/851:BJP - 306 (+270)BJD - 460 (-191)INC - 066 (-60)OTH - 17 (-21) pic.twitter.com/DTxDe3tcP1 &; BJP4Odisha (@BJP4Odisha2019) February 22, 2017

Of the total 853 seats, BJP claims to have bagged 306 seats - an increase of 8.5 times as compared with its tally of just 36 seats in 2012. It has added 270 seats to its previous tally.

On the other hand, ruling BJD has won 460 seats as against its victory on 651 seats in 2012, losing 191. Congress has bagged just 66 seats against the 126 in the previous elections, losing 60.

Panchayat elections in Odisha were held in five phases. The last phase was held on February 21.

ZILA PARISHAD

BJP's performance has been equally impressive in the zila parishads (ZPs). Of the total 30 zila parishads, BJP has won eight. It did not have any zila parishad in its kitty in the 2012 election.

BJD, on the other hand, has been successful in wielding control over 16 ZPs as against the 28 it had so far, losing 12. Congress, which ruled over two ZPs, too lost one. Result of five ZPs is not clear so far.

Talking to India Today last week, BJP national general secretary in charge of Odisha Arun Singh had expected the party's final tally to be eight to nine times of the seats it had won in the 2012 panchayat polls. The final result has vindicated him.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popularity, effective implementation of the Central Government schemes in the state and failure of Naveen Patnaik government in the last 17 years of its rule are the factors behind BJP's unprecedented performance," Singh said.

He also credited BJP's success to the efficiency and multi-fold increase in the party's organisational structure.

Singh claimed that the victory could have been better had BJD not indulged in "largescale violence and misuse of official machinery". He alleged that a prominent BJP worker Bullu Pradhan was murdered by BJD in Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's Assembly constituency Hinjili on February 20.

Singh further said, "Six BJP workers have been killed in the last week to ten days and several are hospitalised after sustaining injuries."

Besides, the ballot papers were changed after voting, he alleged.

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