Race for Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation seats begins

With a large number of aspirants lobbying for Mayor and corporator seats, ruling BJD is struggling to pick names, even as BJP and Congress have decided to release lists of corporator aspirants.
Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation. ( File Photo)
Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation. ( File Photo)

BHUBANESWAR: With the State Election Commissioner (SEC) announcing the schedule for urban polls, the race for selection of aspirants for the Mayor and corporator seats in the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation has begun in BJD, BJP and Congress.

With a large number of aspirants lobbying for Mayor and corporator seats, the ruling BJD is struggling to pick names, even as BJP and Congress have decided to release the list of corporator aspirants before announcing the selection of their Mayor candidates.

BJD leaders said as there will be a direct election to the post of Mayor, reserved for women candidates, Chief Minister and party supremo Naveen Patnaik will announce the name of a suitable candidate at an appropriate time.

At least three to four aspirants are in the race to get a ticket from the party for the Mayor's seat. Besides, multiple aspirants are lobbying for BJD tickets for corporator seats in most of the wards, particularly Bhubaneswar central. This has thrown more challenges for the party in finalising the names of the candidates. However, a BJD leader said the names would be released in the first phase for wards that fall under the Bhubaneswar Ekamra constituency.

The BJP has also launched its exercise to select mayor and corporator aspirants. Keeping in view the performance of the party in the previous civic polls and this panchayat election, the party is mulling to pick a strong candidate as its Mayor face in the civic polls.

Party’s State unit president Samir Mohanty, Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi and other leaders held a meeting in this regard on Saturday. BJP district president for Bhubaneswar Babu Singh said the party is planning to release a list of candidates for all 67 wards in three phases from March 1 to 3 and Mayor seat by March 5.

Congress, too, has also launched its exercise to finalise names. The party has held ward-level meetings to shortlist corporator aspirants. MLA Suresh Routray said at least four aspirants are in the race to be the Mayor candidate. Senior leaders said that the party has already shortlisted names for half of the corporator seats and looking for suitable candidates for the remaining wards.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com