The ruling Biju Janata Dal was all set for a landslide victory for a third term in Orissa, winning 33 assembly seats while establishing comfortable leads in 60 other constituencies.
Opposition Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party were made to bite the dust in an one-sided election as the regional party, led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, marked its supremacy in virtually every nook and corner of the state.
The opposition Congress won four assembly seats and was leading in 24 other segments as counting of votes progressed on Saturday evening, while BJD's past partner BJP won four seats with eight of its nominees leading as the party failed to make its presence felt in the battle of ballots for the 147 member assembly.
Patnaik, who defeated his nearest Congress rival Raghab Parida in Hinjili assembly constituency by 60,786 votes, promised to work for the interest of the people.
State ministers Prafulla Ghadai, A U Singhdeo, Surya Narayan Patro and former Assembly Speaker Maheswar Mohanty were among the prominent BJD leaders who won.
Though four BJP candidates, including former transport minister Jayanarayan Mishra, emerged victorious so far, the party was ahead in only 8 other assembly segments.
