Bhubaneswar, Feb. 26: The spectacular show of the BJP has left several BJD heavyweights licking their wounds with speculation rife about chief minister Naveen Patnaik mulling a possible cabinet rejig.

Though BJD spokesperson P.K. Deb refused to speculate on the possibility, he agreed that there would be introspection and apportioning of responsibility. "I can't say whether heads will roll, but there is bound to be some introspection," he said.

Former minister Amar Prasad Satpathy was also categorical that it was time for the BJD to pull up its socks.

Among the ministers who have suffered the most are urban development minister Pushpendra Singh Deo, who hails from Kalahandi and sports and youth affairs minister Sudam Marandi from Mayurbhanj.

Embarrassment has been acute for Singh Deo as the BJP made a clean sweep of the nine zila parishad seats in Kalahandi. In Mayurbhanj, the saffron party struck telling blows to Sudam Marandi and deputy speaker Sananda Marandi grabbing 49 out of 56 zila parishad seats.

In Bargarh, the turf of handloom and textile minister Snehangini Chhuria, the BJP won 25 of the 34 zila parishad seats. Industry minister Debi Prasad Mishra failed to retain his stronghold Narasinghpur-Badamba losing three of the four zila parishad seats in the area to the BJP that has also made a dent in the BJD and Congress strongholds of Balangir leaving stalwarts, such as micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) minister Jogendra Behera, red in the face.

Congress stalwart Narasingha Mishra also cut a sorry figure in Balangir with his party managing to win just two seats.

BJP leaders, including MLA Pradeep Purohit and spokesperson Sajjan Sharma, described the results as popular backlash against the Naveen Patnaik government and electorate's endorsement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policies.

However, BJD's Deb said: "To say that the BJP has gained sudden popularity in the state would be wrong. It's true that their performance has improved compared to the past, but it is mainly on account of tactical transfer of Congress votes to BJP candidates."

Satpathy, on the other hand, attributed the BJP's improved showing in the panchayat polls to BJD's infighting and growing complacency among its leaders. However, both Deb and Satpathy admitted that the BJP had unseated the Congress as the state's main Opposition party.