The Congress is all set to take over the Jatni Notified Area Council (NAC) with 14 of the newly-elected councillors of the NAC led by veteran Congress leader Suresh Kumar Routray now camping at Puri.
On Sunday, Routray presented the 14 councillors before the media and asserted that the Congress would form the NAC. The Chairman and Vice-Chairperson candidates were chosen by consensus. Ten Independent councillors who contested under the Jai Jatni banner and won have returned to their old Congress fold, increasing the strength of the Congress to 14, Routray said.
Of the 23 seats in the NAC, the Congress had won four, the BJD eight and Independents, including a rebel BJD candidate, had bagged 11 seats. The three Congress and 10 Independents came here to avoid horse-trading, said Congress sources.
Sangram Routray and Anjali Mohanty were declared as chairman and vice-chairperson candidates, respectively. He also said the orders of suspension of the 10 Independents from the Congress have been lifted. All differences are amicably settled, he added.