Odisha: BJP leads in 17 LS seats, BJD and Congress ahead in two each

Bhubaneswar: The BJP was leading in 17 of the 21 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha, ECI said.

The BJD and the Congress were ahead in two seats each, as per trends available till 10.45 am.

While BJD was leading in Kandhamal and Jajpur Lok Sabha seats, Congress nominees were ahead in Nabarangpur and Koraput parliamentary seats in the southern region of the state.

Among prominent BJP leaders, Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan was leading by 13,085 votes over his nearest rival Pranab Prakash Das of the BJD.

BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra was leading by 15,543 votes over his nearest rival Arup Patnaik of the BJD.

Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi was leading over her nearest rival Manmath Routray of the BJD by a thin margin of 3,039 votes.

BJP national vice-president Baijayant Panda was leading over his nearest rival Ansuman Mohanty of the BJD by 890 votes.

The BJP candidates were ahead in Berhampur, Aska, Puri, Jagtsinghpur, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sambalpur, Sundergarh, Bargarh, Bolangir and Kalahandi Lok Sabha seats.

Congress candidate Saptagiri Ulaka was leading in Koraput by 8,409 votes over his nearest rival Kausalya Hikaka of the BJD.