Marking the end of his 24-year-rule in Odisha, BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik resigned from the post of chief minister on Wednesday after the defeat of his party in the assembly elections in the state.  

In his first reaction following the results, Patnaik said that when he became the CM of Odisha, 70 per cent of the people were below the poverty line, while it fell below 10 per cent during his tenure.

“When I became the Chief Minister of Odisha, 70 per cent of the people were below the poverty line in Odisha, now there are not even 10 per cent. Through all our programmes on health, irrigation, agriculture, schemes for women, we have touched all issues and did the work,” Patnaik said. 

“We should not feel ashamed of our government that went for 24 hours. We have helped the people of Odisha and will continue to do so,” he added.

Patnaik has handed over his resignation letter to Governor Raghubar Das at the Raj Bhavan, PTI quoted sources as saying.

Though a number of BJD leaders had gathered at Patnaik’s residence, he came alone to the governor’s house to tender his resignation.

The BJD supremo only waved at waiting journalists and left the premises after submitting his resignation letter.

BJP stormed to power in Odisha by securing 78 of the 147 assembly seats, while the BJD managed to win only 51 seats. Congress bagged 14 constituencies and CPI (M) secured one, while three Independent candidates also emerged victorious. 

Patnaik had for the first time taken oath as the chief minister of Odisha on March 5, 2000.  

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was defeated by BJP’s Laxman Bag in the Kantabanji assembly seat in Bolangir district. Bag, 48, won the Kantabanji seat by 16,344 votes in a massive upset for the five-term CM who fought the elections from two seats. 

Patnaik won the Hinjili seat by 4,636 votes. This was Patnaik’s first electoral defeat after entering public life as the MP of Aska in 1998.