High profile names do rounds for Bhubaneswar Mayor race

As nomination for the municipal polls begins, the three major political parties are busy hunting for the high profile Bhubaneswar Mayor candidate.
Representational photo of Biju Janata Dal flag (Photo| Special Arrangement)
Representational photo of Biju Janata Dal flag (Photo| Special Arrangement)

BHUBANESWAR: As nomination for the municipal polls begins, the three major political parties are busy hunting for the high profile Bhubaneswar Mayor candidate. The Mayor post is reserved for women in the Capital City and the election will be a direct one this time. Politically, it will be an interesting fight since Bharatiya Janata Party’s Aparajita Sarangi is Bhubaneswar MP while the three Assembly constituencies are represented by Biju Janata Dal MLAs.

Speculations are rife that Iti Samanta and Shreemayee Mishra are ahead in the race for ticket from Biju Janata Dal. Iti, a writer and journalist, also happens to be sister of party’s Kandhamal MP Achyuta Samanta. Name of Shreemayee who is chairperson of Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) has been heard in the political circle for a while now.

Then, there is speculation about a noted writer who is still not in the party fold but holds a prestigious position in a government initiative. Besides, BJD spokesperson Sulata Deo and former chairperson of State Commission for Women Lopamudra Baxipatra are stated to be in the list of aspirants for ticket from the ruling party. Party spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said the decision will be taken by the party leadership and announced at the appropriate time. Sources said, Chief Minister and party supremo Naveen Patnaik is likely to announce BJD Mayor candidate by March 4. From BJP, popular Odia actor Anu Chaudhury is tipped to be the Mayor candidate. Anu has been seen campaigning for the party in the recently-concluded panchayat elections. Party spokesperson Lekhashree Samantsinghar’s name is being speculated too.

BJP leaders, however, said that the selection committee comprising BJP State president Samir Mohanty, party’s national spokesperson and Bhubaneswar MP Sarangi and other senior leaders will take a final call.
“Eligibility and winnability will be the criteria for selection of candidates in the ULB polls,” Sarangi told mediapersons. A number of names from Congress is also doing the rounds. Rashmi Mohapatra is stated to be ahead of others in the race. She had unsuccessfully contested the 2019 assembly elections from Bhubaneswar Ekamra constituency.

Besides, names of Parbati Biswal, Nalini Senapati and Sabita Patnaik, Pramodini Mishra are also in the list of aspirants for the Mayor seat. Senior Congress leader and Jatni MLA Suresh Routray said all the candidates are well qualified and are suitable candidates for mayor seat. The name of the mayor candidate will be announced soon.

Giribala Behera is CongRESS Cuttack Mayor candidate

Bhubaneswar: The president of the Cuttack City Congress Committee and former corporator Giribala Behera has been finalised as the Congress Mayor candidate for the Cuttack Municipal Corporation. Behera is likely to file her nomination papers on Thursday. Her candidature was finalised at the meeting of the Congress Election Committee on Wednesday. Sources said that Congress will enter into alliance with the CPI and CPM for Cuttack Municipal Corporation. One seat each will left for the CPI and CPM while the Congress will contest from the rest 57 seats. The name of Madhusmita Acharya, daughter of late Congress MLA Kangali Charan Panda has almost been finalised as the party’s Mayor candidate for Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation.

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