Bhubaneswar, Sep 20 (IANS): The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) captured at least 44 of the 66 urban local bodies in Odisha that went to polls Thursday, according to the results declared Friday, official said.

The main opposition Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party came second and third, respectively, as they won 12 and one, respectively, a senior official of the state election commission told IANS.

Counting of votes were still on in some local bodies.

The ruling party won the Berhampur Municipal Corporation in Ganjam, the home district of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, for the third time in a row.

Other municipalities where BJD was victorious include Balasore, Jajpur, Talcher, Puri, Khurda, Bhadrak and Rayagada.

"The credit for the good show goes to chief minister Naveen Patnaik. People are happy with the development and welfare activities carried out by the government led by him," a senior BJD leader said.

"The poll results definitely will have an impact in the assembly and Lok Sabha elections due next year," he said.

In the 2008 urban local bodies polls, BJD had romped home in 40 while the Congress and BJP had each wrested nine.

Polls were however not held in 25 urban local bodies in western Odisha due to agitation by people demanding setting up of a permanent high court bench in the region.