Lok Sabha polls 2019: Voter trend in Odisha since 2004 general elections

On his third visit to Odisha in less than two months, Rahul Gandhi addressed a public meeting in tribal-dominated Koraput district, a strong hold of Congress for generations.

New Delhi: Soon after election Commission’s press conference announcing the schedule of elections the countdown for 2019 Lok Sabha polls will begin. The parties have however already begun their attempts to lure the voters. Even Congress president Rahul Gandhi Friday sought to woo women, farmers and tribals by promising free education for girls, farm loan waiver and protection of 'adivasi' land rights. On his third visit to Odisha in less than two months, he addressed a public meeting in tribal-dominated Koraput district, a strong hold of Congress for generations. On the BJD chief's push for passage of the Women Reservation Bill, the Congress leader mocked that Odisha has only two women ministers. The political scene in Odisha, where BJD has had strong hold for long, has heated ahead of the polls. 2014 Lok Sabha elections in Odisha: The main contenders in these polls were Biju Janata Dal, Indian National Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party. The assembly elections were held simultaneously with the general elections in the state. The polls for 21Lok Sabha seats were held in two phases on 10 and 17 April 2014, where BJD won with 44.10% vote share, Congress got 26% and BJP got 21.50% vote share. 2009 General elections in Odisha: In 2009 general elections in Odisha, the major contenders in the state were the Third Front, Indian National Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The third front parties contesting in the state were the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the Left parties and the Nationalist Congress Party. The BJD emerged as a party with highest number of seats: 14, whereas Congress and CPI bagged 6 and 1 seats respectively. 2004 General elections in Odisha: Elections to the 13th Legislative Assembly of Orissa were held in April 2004. 802 candidates from various political parties were in fray, contesting in a total of 147 Assembly constituencies. 1,69,33,456 valid votes were cast in which, owing to the people-centric welfarist schemes of Naveen Patnaik. Patnaik, the Biju Janata Dal was reinstated to power through a coalition government with the then-popular BJP-led NDA. While the BJD won 61 seats out of the 84 Assembly seats in which it contested, the BJP won 32 seats.