Nabarangpur: BASANT RATH.
Even as the panchayat poll draws closer the political
activities is gathering momentum in rural parts of Nabarangpur. This time
election will be held for a total 189 gram panchayats, 188 panchayat samitis,
2227 ward members and 26 Zilla Parishad (ZP) zones of 10 blocks in the district
including 20 newly formed panchayats.
A total 7,37,714 are eligible to exercise their franchise
for the coming panchayat poll. Leaders belonging to ruling BJD and opposition
Congress and BJP are trying their best to perform.
The leaders of three major political parties who have
started strengthening their respective organizations to perform better in the
panchayat poll.
While candidates can able to fight for the post of ZP member
under the official symbol of different political parties there is no rule for
candidate to contest election to the post of sarapanch and panchayat samiti
member under official party symbol.
But generally in order to strengthen their organisation at
grass root level the political parties give support to their unofficial
nominees for sarpanch and samiti member posts to strengthen their organisation.
Last time in 2012 panchayat poll ruling BJD bagged the post
of Nabarangpur Zilla Parishad president by capturing as many as 19 ZP zones out
of total 26 ZP zones while main opposition congress able to hold seven ZP zone.
Besides BJD backed candidates had also retained the post of
chairman/Chairperson posts of all the 8 blocks out of 10 blocks while congress able to retain in two.
In 2014 general election while BJD was victorious in three
assembly segments congress had won only in Dabugam assembly segment.