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How did the Biju Janata Dal first form a government in Odisha in 2000?
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Odisha
Jagannatha temple, Puri, Odisha, India.
In the 2000 Odisha state assembly elections, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) successfully formed a government by entering into a coalition with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).12
Riding on the popularity of the party's founder, Naveen Patnaik, and the legacy of his father, Biju Patnaik, the BJD won 68 seats in the 147-seat legislative assembly. Their alliance partner, the BJP, secured an additional 38 seats, resulting in a combined total of 106 seats. This victory effectively dislodged the long-serving Indian National Congress from power. Following the election, Naveen Patnaik resigned from his positions in the national government to become the chief minister of the new coalition administration.132