'Nothing To Be Ashamed Of': Naveen Patnaik Reacts As BJD's 24-Year Rule in Odisha Ends

While addressing the party workers, the outgoing Odisha CM claimed that when he first came into power in 2000, 70 percent of Odisha was under the poverty line. Patnaik claimed that after the BJD's work in the past 24 years, only 10 percent of the people are now below the poverty line.

"We have put up good work in all the programmes like education, health, agriculture, etc. We are not ashamed of the 24-year rule of our government," stated Naveen Patnaik.

Patnaik tendered his resignation as the Chief Minister on Wednesday to Governor Raghubar Das. The BJD Chief's stint came to an end on June 4 after the Bharatiya Janta Party swept Odisha in the assembly elections and Lok Sabha elections.

The Biju Janta Dal has formed the ruling government in Odisha for 27 years, of which, Patnaik has been the head of for 24 years. With BJP's landslide victory in the state, the long stint of the regional party now comes to an end.

BJP Sweeps Odisha In Lok Sabha, Vidhan Sabha Elections

The Bharatiya Janta Party is all set to form the government in Odisha for the first time ever following its landslide victory in the Vidhan Sabha Elections. BJP won a total of 78 seats of 147 in the legislative assembly while the incumbent BJD won only 51 seats.

In the Lok Sabha Election Result, the BJP won 20 seats of the total 21 in the state. The remaining seat was won by the Indian National Congress, resulting in the ouster of the BJD.