BJP’s Laxman Bag Emerges Giant Killer, Defeats Naveen Patnaik From Kantabanji

Bhubaneswar: In a stunning upset in the 2024 Odisha Assembly elections, BJP’s Laxman Bag defeated five-time Chief Minister and BJD President Naveen Patnaik in the Kantabanji constituency.

Latest data from the Election Commission of India (ECI) shows Bag leading by 16,344 votes after 29 counting rounds. With 90,876 votes, he has pushed Patnaik to second place, while Congress’s incumbent MLA, Santosh Singh Saluja, trails in third.

Despite Patnaik’s 24-year tenure and towering political stature making him the presumed favourite, Bag’s grassroots campaign focusing on labour migration—a critical local issue—resonated strongly with voters. His deep understanding of local culture, dialect, and voter preferences, coupled with his “son of the soil” image, helped him connect effectively.

The 48-year-old BJP candidate’s matriculate background didn’t hinder his political savvy. Instead, his strategic use of resources, the charisma of BJP’s national leaders, and dedicated party cadres contributed to his surprising lead over the political heavyweight.