Naveen Patnaik quits as Odisha CM after BJD's shock defeat in assembly polls

Naveen Patnaik, the outgoing CM, would have become India’s longest-serving Chief Minister, surpassing former Sikkim CM Pawan Kumar Chamling’s record, if the BJD won.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on June 5 submitted his resignation to Governor Raghubar Das after his Biju Janata Dal (BJD) witnessed a shock defeat in the Assembly polls that were held simultaneously along with the parliamentary polls.

Naveen Patnaik, the outgoing CM, would have become India’s longest-serving Chief Minister, surpassing former Sikkim CM Pawan Kumar Chamling’s record, if the BJD won.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is all set to form the next government after its resounding victory in the 2024 elections- both in Assembly and Lok Sabha segments. The BJP won 78 Assembly seats out of 147 and 20 Lok Sabha seats out of 21.

In what can be described as a historic upset, the 24-year tenure of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s government is set to come to an end, with the saffron party poised to form government with a narrow majority in Odisha.

The BJP’s performance and rise has shocked everybody in Odisha as the ruling party had exuded confidence of winning over 100 seats in the Assembly segment in Odisha.

However, the BJP surprised everybody and got a thumping majority in the state, riding on the anti-incumbency and other issues like Odia Asmita and lack of development in the past 24 years of BJD rule.