Political observers believe that, in most of the constituencies the BJP-BJD combine candidates are at an advantage because of the Vajpayee wave. The Vajpayee wave has covered up weaknesses in the BJP and BJD, including the lack of coordination between the alliance partners in most of the constituencies going to the polls in the first phase.

Koraput, Nowrangpur, Kalahandi, Bolangir, Phulbani, Deogarh, Sambalpur, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal and Sundergarh constituencies will go to the polls in the first phase. Except the Koraput and Nowrangpur seats, the BJP and BJD candidates won from all the other eight seats in the 1998 polls.

This time also, BJP-BJD is set to repeat the 1998 performance from western Orissa. Political observers believe that, except for Kalahandi, Deogarh andSambalpur, where the Congress is giving a tough fight to the BJP-BJD candidates, in western Orissa the going will be smooth for the alliance.

On the other hand, the Congress' pitch has been queered in Nowrangpur and there is a possibility of the BJP wresting the seat for the first time because of withdrawal of record holder Khagapati Pradhani from the fray and cancellation of the below poverty level (BPL) cards of nearly 90,000 people.Poll-watchers, however, predict that Hemabati Gamang, wife of chief minister Giridhar Gamang, and Congress candidate from Koraput seat will have smooth sailing.

However, fierce electoral battles are on the cards in Deogarh, Kalahandi and Sambalpur. While Union minister of state for surface transport Debendra Pradhan of the BJP is locked in a battle of honour with former chief minister and president of the Orissa Pradesh Congress Committee Hemananda Biswal in Deogarh, Congress candidate Bhakta Charan Das is giving Bikram Keshari Deo (BJP) a run for his money inKalahandi.

In Sambalpur, former Union minister and Congress candidate Krupasindhu Bhoi is leaving no stone unturned to wrest the seat from the BJD, represented by Prasanna Acharya. Dhenkanal constituency is going to witness a triangular fight between KP Singh Deo of the Congress, Tathagat Satpathy and rebel BJP candidate Rudranarayan Pani (Ind). In Sundergarh, state BJP president Jual Oram is seeking re-election.

Though the Congress is ruling, the BJP-BJD combine is ahead in electioneering. A host of senior BJP leaders, including Vajpayee and Advani, campaigned.