The BJD and the Congress are in a neck- to- neck fight for elections to the Jagatsinghpur Municipality with both parties fielding candidates in all 21 wards and BJP contesting in nine wards.
The chairman post is unreserved this time, while 11 wards are reserved for women candidates. The ruling BJD party has sponsored 12 women candidates, including one women contesting in one OBCC reserved ward.
The Congress too has fielded 11 women in the elections and BJP four. As the electioneering process has begun, the BJD posters, banners and billboards proclaim its pioneering role in steering development in the area under the leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patniak, while the Congress party, not seeming to be lagging behind, is displaying posters and banners stating the UPA Government’s efforts in ushering in development and numerous pro poor measures with regard to development of the urban areas.
Besides, door- to-door campaigning has started by both the parties,= including BJP supporters. The BJD which had previously occupied the chairman post is relying on its developmental works during its tenure to woo voters. On the other hand, the Congress and the BJP candidates are highlighting the poor conditions of drainage system, roads, slow progress of drinking water projects, power crisis, lack of parking facility and many more issues affecting urban citizen during the five-year-rule of the BJD at Jagatsinghpur.
The Congress is facing the UlB polls under leadership of former legislator and PCC treasurer Chiranjeev Biswal, while senior MlA and BJD president Bishnu Das is taking the responsibility of the ruling party’s poll management. “We feel the BJD is sure to face an anti incumbency flow this time. It occupied the municipal council twice but in terms of development, it did nothing. Hence, the Congress will take the advantage,” informed chief campaigner Chiranjeev Biswal.
However, refuting the allegation, senior BJD MlA Das said, “We undertook many projects including roads, market complexes, bus stand, street lights and sanitation works, besides a Kalyan Mandap. Still, many developmental works are under progress.” He added that a master plan for a drainage system in the town has been approved of and the project would be taken up very soon.
The BJP had only one councilor in 2008 UlB polls in Jagatsinghpur. That time BJP had made alliance with BJD. This time, the BJP has been unable to field candidates in all the wards. Due to the reservation restrictions, the party has been unable to select suitable candidates for all wards. However, wherever the BJP has fielded its candidates, the contest would be triangular. BJD’s 10 years of misrule at Jagatsinghpur municipality is the main poll plank of the party, informed BJP president Upendra Biswal.
Sources said the Congress which had obtained eight wards in 2008 municipality elections is likely add one or two councilor seats this time, while the BJD is trying to retain its 12 wards of the last elections, besides the chairman post. About 23, 485 voters will cast their votes in 21 wards in Jagatsinghpur municipality on September 19. The civil administration and police have made elaborate arrangements to hold the elections free and fair. As many as 28 booths will be set up, while 30 EVMs would be used and 124 poll personnel will be deployed.
“We are fully prepared to conduct the ongoing UlB elections in a free and fair way,” informed District Collector SK Mallick.