Bhubaneswar, Dec 10 (IANS): Senior BJP leader and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday indicated towards early assembly elections in Odisha.

Speaking to media persons here, Pradhan said, "I have heard that elections might be conducted early here (in state). The election may happen after eight months or 15 months. A lot of developments will take place in between."

A number of issues will crop up ahead of the next elections and political parties will fight the electoral battles with their own agenda in a democratic set up, he said.

"We have fought the 2019 general election and emerged as the principal opposition party in the state. People of Odisha have a lot of trust in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will continue it," he said.

Commenting on BJP's defeat in the Padampur by-poll, Pradhan said, "We humbly accept the mandate of the people. Whoever made the comments on insulting women should not forget that BJP got 78,000 votes there, which includes women votes."

On the other hand, the rising atrocities against women in Odisha shows the actual status of women in the state, he added.

Pradhan was referring to the statement of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who alleged that the state BJP leaders have made misogynist and dishonouring personalised remarks against BJD candidate (Padampur by-poll) Barsha Singh Bariha, who had lost her father.

Reacting to the statement of Pradhan, senior BJD leader Prasanna Acharya said, "Pradhan said this because they may dissolve Lok Sabha early or to boost the morale of his party worker following defeat in Padampur by-poll."

Notably, BJD won the Padampur by-poll with a huge margin of 42,679 votes defeating nearest rival BJP.