The 2019 elections saw the regional party losing all the five Lok Sabha seats in western Odisha. But this time may look different.

The most prominent among the young leaders — allotted BJD tickets to contest from seats once represented by their fathers — is Ankit Pratap Jena, son of former minister Pratap Jena who has a murder case pending against him.

Analysts believe that while the BJP is welcoming and rewarding defectors because it doesn't have enough prominent faces in the state, the BJD may be looking to battle anti-incumbency.

Analysts believe that while the BJP is welcoming and rewarding defectors because it doesn't have enough prominent faces in the state, the BJD may be looking to battle anti-incumbency.

Leaders of both the Odisha BJP and the BJD appear to be happy about the failure of the alliance talks, which they have termed a blessing in disguise.

While state BJP leaders are worried that an alliance with the BJD may upset party cadres, the central leadership has decided that joining hands is the best way forward.

These days the political scene in Odisha is evaluated in terms of just the Biju Janata Dal and the Bharatiya Janata Party. Will the Yatra generate enough momentum to change the conversation?

Things are not going to be easy for the party if its record in the state is anything to go by. Its vote share and seat tallies have consistently declined since 2009.

Dhiraj Sahu, in his first reaction to the raids on Friday, said the Rs 350 crore that was seized was the proceeds of his family liquor business and he can account for it.

Pandian has been the eyes and ears of chief minister Naveen Patnaik for the last 12 years.

The Bill, passed on September 27, empowers the government to exempt ‘strategic and development projects’ from social impact assessment and special provisions to ensure food security.

The action against the MLA comes after the popular daily 'Sambad', which he owns and edits, was accused of loan fraud. The raids themselves were conducted after Ranjan Patnaik's editorials criticised the chief minister’s private secretary V.K. Pandian.

Prafulla Samantara was kidnapped, and subsequently released, from his hotel room, on August 29. The incident took place ahead of a press meet where he was to speak on the atrocities committed against tribal people resisting mining activities.

Some BJD leaders admitted that the move was surprising, considering that the Bill went against the principles of a federal democracy. 

The government has begun transporting the deceased's bodies to Bhubaneswar and Cuttack – to which it is also arranging free transport – where they can be preserved for longer than at the makeshift morgues near the accident site.

Many believe the image-conscious Odisha chief minister was trying to balance out his party's support for Modi's inauguration of the new parliament building.

Facing allegations that the survey is motivated to win the OBCs' support ahead of next year's election, the Biju Janata Dal dismissed the charge that political considerations had any bearing on the move.

Police have made as many as 85 arrests so far in connection with violence in the town which began on April 12, when a motorcycle rally was organised by the local Hanuman Jayanti Samanvaya Samiti.

Party strategists say that focusing on chief minister Naveen Patnaik's brand will allow it to connect better with younger voters who know very little about Biju Patnaik.

Though Gopal Das was subjected to intensive questioning on Monday, the policeman is yet to provide a clear clue about his motives.