PARALAKHEMUNDI : With the first phase polling for the three-tier Panchayat elections drawing near, three major political parties - BJD, BJP and Congress - have launched door-to-door campaigns in Gajapati district. The political parties are concentrating on the 14 Zilla Parishad zones of the district.
The district, which was formed after being bifurcated from Ganjam in 1992, is facing the three-tier panchayat elections for the fifth time. In four rural elections, the Congress had captured the ZP in 1997, 2002 and 2007 while BJD snatched it in 2012 poll. In 2012 panchayat elections, the BJD had won seven seats while Congress and BJP bagged four and three ZP zones respectively.
This time, out of 14 ZP seats, eight have been reserved for ST, four for Backward class and one each for general and SC (woman) categories. Besides, the ZP president post is reserved for ST (woman). At least 37,0578 voters will cast their franchise in the five-phase panchayat poll.
Police rally for safe poll
Berhampur: The Ganjam district police led by ASP Trinath Patel on Friday took out a motorcycle rally in Chikiti and Digapahandi blocks to boost confidence among people ahead of panchayat poll.
The district police also decided to conduct regular flag march in sensitive areas in order to check poll-related violence. At least three platoons of OSAP and APR forces participated in the motorcycle rally.