A file photo of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik
Credit: PTI Photo
Bhubaneswar: Odisha's ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Friday announced that it will field candidates in all 21 Lok Sabha and 147 assembly seats in the state.
The declaration came hours after the opposition BJP said that it would go solo in the upcoming elections, which will be held simultaneously.
Talks on pre-poll alliance were being held between the ruling BJD and the opposition BJP for the past few days.
“BJD will contest in all 147 assembly constituencies and all 21 Lok Sabha (seats),” BJD organising secretary Pranab Prakash Das posted on X.
Odisha will go to simultaneous polls for the Lok Sabha and assembly in four phases - on May 13, 20, 25 and June 1.
Das claimed that the regional party would win more than three-fourth of the seats.
“With blessings of Lord Jagannath and faith of the people of Odisha, BJD has been serving the state and transforming it like never before in every sector," he said.