The 2009 Indian general election in Orissa were held for 21 seats with the state going to the polls in the first two phases of the general elections. The major contenders in the state were the Third Front, Indian National Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The third front parties contesting in the state were the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the Left parties and the Nationalist Congress Party. The assembly elections were held simultaneously with the general elections in the state.
A few weeks before the elections, seat sharing talks broke down between the BJD and its long-time ally BJP. Then the BJD joined the Third Front. The BJD leader Naveen Patnaik said that he broke the alliance with BJP over the Kandhamal riots.
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Source: Election Commission of India