Srikant Jena (trailing)

Union minister and Pradesh Congress Campaign Committee chairman

The lone minister in the UPA government was trailing in Balasore Lok Sabha constituency. In fact, the contest is becoming between BJD’s Rabindra Kumar Jena and BJP’s Pratap Sarangi. An associate of Biju Patnaik, Jena had defeated former chief minister J.B. Patnaik and his wife Jayanti Patnaik in the 90s from Cuttack. His defeat will be a serious blow to the Congress party’s efforts to rebuild the organisation in the state.

Jaydev Jena (trailing)

Pradesh Congress Committee president

Jena, who had replaced Niranjan Patnaik as the PCC chief few months before the general elections, is trailing in Anandpur. BJD’s Mayadhar Jena has been surging ahead. Jena’s son Sangram Jena, president of the Youth Congress, is also trailing in Bhadrak Lok Sabha constituency. Jena, who is being attacked from various quarters for party’s poll mismanagement in the state, has been blaming a powerful section of the party working over time to get him defeated.

AU Singh Deo (trailing)

BJD vice-president

Naveen’s Doon School mate, who was elected to the Rajya Sabha in February, was recalled to seek re-nomination in the Balangir Assembly seat even before he could be sworn in as a member of the Upper House. He was trailing behind Congress candidate Narasingh Mishra by more than 11,000 votes. However, his son Kalikesh Singh Deo was leading in the Balangir Lok sabha seat.

Bishnu Das (trailing)

Senior BJD leader and former minister

Congress candidate Chiranjeev Biswal is ahead of the controversial former minister in Jagatsinghpur seat. Biswal may unseat him. Infighting within the party seemed to have worked well against Das.

Prasanna Acharya (trailing)

BJD vice-president and finance minister

Acharya is trailing behind his nearest rival Congress Subal Sahu. His defeat would be a blow to the BJD in west Odisha. Acharya had changed his Assembly constituency at the last moment from Rairakhol to Bijepur in Bargarh. Considered a confidante of Naveen Patnaik, he wielded considerable influence in the party.

Bijoy Mohapatra (trailing)

Senior BJP leader

Mohapatra, a bete noire of Naveen Patnaik, is trailing behind former minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak of the BJD in Mahakalpada. In the 2004 polls, Atanu had defeated Mohapatra from Patkura Assembly seat. An associate of Biju Patnaik, Mohapatra is known for his organising abilities and was instrumental in getting Naveen into politics after the death of Biju Patnaik. Mohapatra has not been able to enter inside the Assembly since 2000. Naveen had extensively campaigned in the constituency against him.

Rabi Narayan Nanda (trailing)

School and mass education minister and a senior leader of BJD in Koraput

Nanda is likely to be defeated by Tara Prasad Bahinipati in Jeypore Assembly constituency. Bahinipati, who failed to make to the Assembly in 2009, has been concentrating in the constituency since then. Nanda was caught on a wrong foot when his supporters attacked relatives of Bahinipati after the elections.

Pratap Keshari Deb

Senior BJD leader and food supply minister

Deb is locked in a neck-and-neck contest with Congress’ nominee Debendra Sharma in Aul constituency. Deb, who was in charge of organisational matters in Kendrapara, appeared to be on a weaker wicket. Deb had defeated Sharma in 2000, 2004 and 2009.

KV Singh Deo (leading)

State BJP president

Singh Deo is leading in Patnagarh Assembly seat against his sister-in-law Prakriti devi of the BJD. However, his wife Sangeeta is trailing behind her brother-in-law Kalikesh Singh Deo, the sitting lok Sabha member of Balangir.

Bijayshree Routray (leading)

Senior BJD leader and son of former chief minister the late Nilamani Routray is the forest and environment minister. He is way ahead of his nearest rival Congress candidate Madhabananda Mallick.

Dillip Ray

Hotelier-turned-politician, Dilip returned to Rourkela after 14 years as the BJP nominee. Ray, a former minister in the Biju Patnaik government, had served the HD Deve Gowda government at the Centre as a minister. Ray had won Rajya Sabha elections in 2004 as an Independent despite being opposed by the Naveen Patanik government. He seems to be comfortably placed against Sarada Prasad Nayak of the BJD.

Pradeep Maharathy

Senior BJD leader, who had to resign from the Naveen Patnaik government following the rape and murder of a girl in his Pipili constituency, is all set to win the seat by defeating the Congress candidates.

Complied by Subhashish Mohanty