Odisha Lok Sabha elections: Schedule, total seats, Congress candidates and more

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Odisha, comprising 21 parliamentary constituencies, plays a major role in general elections, defining the mood of the eastern states, ultimately on the establishment of the government at the Centre.

Once a stronghold of the Congress-led UPA, the state has witnessed a significant decline in the grand old party’s dominance in both Assembly and Lok Sabha polls. On the other hand, their arch-rival Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also faces stiff competition from the Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) ever since it parted ways from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in 2009.

In Odisha, voting for the general elections and Assembly polls will take place simultaneously in four phases, while the counting of votes will be held on June 4.

Congress has suffered badly in the state in the last two Lok Sabha elections. While it failed to open its account in 2014, the party secured just one seat in the 2019 polls, ending up way behind the BJD and the BJP.

Last time, the BJD bagged 12 of the 21 seats, with a vote share of 42.8%. In the second position, the BJP registered victory in eight seats and received 38.4% votes. Congress, meanwhile, could only manage one seat and a 13.4% vote share.

During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the state is witnessing a triangular contest between the three factions — the BJD, the BJP-led NDA and the Opposition INDIA bloc, which includes Congress, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and others.

Odisha Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Voting dates

Odisha will be voting for the 2024 general elections and 147-seater state Assembly simultaneously in the last four phases. Voting in the state will be conducted for 28 Assembly seats and four Lok Sabha constituencies on May 14, followed by 35 Assembly and five Lok Sabha seats on May 20, 42 Assembly and six Lok Sabha seats on May 25 and the remaining 42 Assembly and six Lok Sabha constituencies on June 1. Results will be announced on June 4. In the 2019 polls, the state clocked a total voter turnout of 73.29%.

Odisha Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Total seats

In Odisha, there are 21 parliamentary constituencies.Out of these, three seats are reserved for the SC candidates, while five are reserved for the ST candidates. The remaining seats are unreserved.

Odisha Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Congress candidates

In search of a strong comeback in Odisha, the Congress has announced a few prominent names in the state this time. Here’s a look at the candidates representing the grand old party in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Odisha:

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow