ROURKELA:With the campaigning closing on Saturday evening for first the phase of election to nine Zilla Parishad (ZP) seats in Sundargarh district, all political parties are making last ditch efforts to woo voters. The ZP zones in Nuagaon, Lathikata, Subdega and Kutra blocks will go to polls on February 13.
All the ZP seats are set to witness multi-pronged contest with the ruling BJD remaining the main target for the Congress, the BJP and the Sundargarh Zilla Adiwasi Mulwasi Bachao Manch (SZAMBM), an outfit of Birmitrapur MLA George Tirkey.
Sources said the BJP has consolidated its position in Nuagaon-A ZP seat, where the BJD would fight to retain the seat and SZAMBM too would try to bag it.
In Nuagaon-B, SZAMBM faces a tough task to retain the seat in a fierce contest with the BJD and the BJP. In Lathikata-A, the BJD is a serious contender to snatch the seat from the Congress, while the BJP too is sparing no effort.
The BJD, in a triangular contest, seeks to defend Lathikata-B seat from the Congress and the BJP, while the BJP is looking to snatch Lathikata-B from the BJD, where it is locked in a tough battle. In all the three seats of Lathikata block, SZAMBM may spoil the chances of others.
To strengthen BJP’s campaign, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh is scheduled to address a public meeting at Purunapani for the BJP contestants of Nuagaon block. He is also scheduled to visit adjacent Bisra and Kuarmunda blocks on a later date. Raman would address a second meeting at Jalda in favour of three BJP nominees in Lathikata block.
The BJD is facing a direct fight from the Congress to retain Subdega-A ZP seat, while the BJD has to defend Subdega-B ZP from the onslaught of the BJP and the Congress. Raman had campaigned here on Thursday.
Rajgangpur MLA and Sundargarh unit BJD president Mangla Kishan is leading from the front to defend Kutra-A and B ZPs from main opponent Congress, led by former chief minister Hemanand Biswal.
For the BJD, Odia actor Muna Khan on Thursday campaigned at areas having sizeable minority population in Kutra and Lathikata blocks, while Jual focused on Kutra block.
Rourkela Development Authority Chairman and former BJD Minister S P Nayak, Odisha unit BJP Secretary Dhiren Senapati and former Congress MLA Gregory Minz are claiming that their parties will record thumping victories in the first phase of ZP poll.