ROURKELA: Anticipating poaching amid fierce competition to clinch the majority of the 17 block chairperson seats in Sundargarh district, political parties have reportedly kept the newly-elected Panchayat Samiti (PS) members in hiding. In offer are Rs 2 lakh-Rs 5 lakh to each apart from free tour to tourism places in Odisha or outside with their spouses.
Although party symbols were not allowed in elections to the 279 PS member posts across 17 blocks, majority of them had support of BJD, BJP, Congress and CPM. Reliable sources say, shortly after declaration of the results on February 26 and 27, the PS members backed by major parties have been taken hostage and are likely to be back by Friday to elect chairpersons of respective blocks the next day. It is learnt, MLAs of different parties in the district are actively involved in securing the support of PS Members in respective blocks and keeping them in safe and undisclosed locations away from the reach of the rivals.
CPM’s district secretary Pramod Samal said the party is certain to win chairpersons’ elections in Koida, Lahunipada and Gurunida blocks of Bonai assembly constituency as majority of the PS Members had won with its support. He blamed the BJD of indulging in dishonest means and also keeping hostage sizable numbers of newly-elected PS Members to win the elections.
Incidentally, Nuagaon with 20 PS members is in focus. BJD reportedly has been making all-out effort to win the block chairperson post as the BJP led by its Birmitrapur MLA Shankar Oram had managed to win the Nuagaon-B Zilla Parishad seat despite the landslide victory of ruling party in the ZP poll. BJD insiders have shared that 13 PS Members were taken to undisclosed locations in Odisha a week back, while the BJP has taken six to Jharkhand.
Only the outgoing ZP president Emma Ekka, who won as Barilepta PS member and is aspiring to be the Nuagaon block chairperson, has not gone anywhere. In the changed scenario, Ekka said she would contest if BJD allows her.
Contacted, BJD State general secretary Yogesh Singh said,”The BJD never indulges in unfair means. The party is eyeing to win those blocks where majority of its supported PS Members have won.” BJP MLA Shankar Oram too denied the charges of PS Members kept hostage by the saffron party.