Bhubaneswar: The high number of first-time MLAs and MPs in the recently concluded assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Odisha has surprised many political observers.
It indicates a significant shift in the political landscape of the state, with voters choosing to give a chance to fresh faces over experienced politicians.

More than 82 out of 147 newly elected MLAs are first-timers.Similarly, seven out of 21 MPs are first-timers, all of whom from BJP. The saffron party has the highest share of 52 MLAs (around 67%) of its total 78 newly elected MLAs.
Many of the first-time MLAs and MPs, who won on BJP tickets, defeated seasoned politicians from the BJD. One of them is BJP’s Laxman Bag, who won the Kantabanji assembly seat against chief minister Naveen Patnaik with a margin of 16,344 votes.
Even four-time Congress MLA Santosh Singh Saluja, who was also contesting from Kantabanji, could not beat Bag. BJP’s Durga Prasan Nayak, a first-timer, defeated former minister and four-time MLA Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak from the Mahakalpada constituency with a margin of 33,526 votes. Atanu was a BJD heavyweight.
“Though he was a BJD heavyweight, I considered him as an ordinary candidate. Our constituency has several problems, including lack of basic amenities and infrastructural development. I took these issues seriously and convinced people to bring the much needed change to our constituency. I campaigned against BJD’s failure to address the issues of people. People opted for me as their next MLA for a change and I will solve their issues in a phased manner,” Durga said.
The success of first-time candidates in Odisha is being attributed to several factors, including the Modi wave, anti-incumbency against the BJD government and a desire for change among the voters.
Congress won 14 seats in the assembly election and nine of them are first-timers, which is 64.2%.
All three independent candidates are first-timers, and they defeated BJD heavyweights like Debi Mishra and Pranab Balabantaray.
However, the number of first-timers is not impressive for BJD. Many experienced candidates of BJD have won around 65% of the seats.
BJD’s Manorama Mohanty, who was contesting from the Narla assembly seat, defeated Congress veteran Bhakta Charan Das, a three-time MP and one-time MLA.
“During the election campaign, we were sensing a change in the state. I was confident that my party would win in the Dhenkanal Lok Sabha seat. It is an opportunity to serve the people of my constituency,” said Rudra Narayan Pany, BJP MP from Dhenkanal.