Hectic parleys were on in both the ruling BJD and main Opposition Congress camps as the elections to post of the chairpersons of 66 UlBs are all set to be held on Monday.
The BJD winning councillors along with local MlAs, MPs and party observers for the districts met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the Naveen Nivas on Sunday. Besides, the strategies how to woo councillors from other parties to form councils where the BJD has emerged as single largest party, were chalked out, said party sources.
“The Chief Minister in consultation with the concerned observers, MlAs and Ministers of the districts sorted out problems in finalising the names for the post of chairpersons,” said Agriculture Minister Debi Prasad Mishra.
It may be recalled here that the BJD has come out with flying colours in 41 of the 66 UlBs including Berhampur Municipal Corporation. The polls were held on September 19 last. The Congress has got clear majority in only ten UlBs, while the BJP which fared very badly could emerge as the single largest party only in Rairangpur by winning seven of the 15 wards. While the BJD got only three wards, the Congress four, one Independent holds key to the formation of the Rairangpur UlB. There is no clear majority in at least 13 UlBs. Since the Anti-Defection law does not apply to the winning councillors elected on party symbols in the UlB polls, last ditch effort was on by all the political parties to woo the councillors to take in their stride to capture the UlBs.
In Karanjia, where the BJD won seven of the 15 wards, the party is reportedly trying to lure the Independents to capture the UlB. In case of Koraput, where both BJD and Congress won seven each, the Independent holds the key and according to sources, the BJD had already managed to take the support of the Independent to snatch the civic body from the Congress.
With the last minute management, the BJD, according to party sources, would be able to form the councils in as many as 50 UlBs. According to SEC sources, the filing of nomination for the post of chairperson would be held till 12 noon and the elections would be conducted between 1 pm and 3 pm whereas the results would be declared by 4 pm on the day.