There are several candidates lobbying hard to get BJD ticket for the chairman post in Kendrapada Municipality.
They are two-time councillor Renubala Kar, Sarita Sahu, wife of BJD leader and three-time councillor of Kendrapada Ranjit Sahu, former chairman Roshna Sahu, former district BJD women wing president Snehaprava Tripathy, former vice chairman of Kendrapada municipality Sabita Sahu, former vice chairman Jayanti Lenka.
If sources are to be believed, the ruling BJD is going to field such a candidate who is clean and noncontroversial.
Among the aspirant candidates for prestigious chairman post, Renubala Kar and Sarita sahu are said to be the front runners to get the BJD ticket.
The 61 years old Renubala Kar is a two-time councillor in the Kendrapada Municipality. She won in the 1984 and 2006 civic body polls as councillor. In 1984 she fielded her candidature as an independent candidate from ward no -8 and became the State’s first woman Independent councillor, whereas she won the 2006 poll from the same ward. Her brother Durga Prasad Pati is also a two-time councilor from ward no 2 and 3. He had contested from Janata Dal and as an independent candidate.
Renubala Kar, the mother of Himanshu Bhusan Kar,who runs Swadhikar Group of Media, had a major role to play on the all-round development of Kendrapada Municipality. During her tenure as the councillor, she was also instrumental in initiating many developmental works like construction of Market Complex, Govari By-Pass Road, Santa Sahi Bridge, Tinimuhani-Gobari Setu and Ranapada Setu. Besides this, she is a known social worker. Her son too extends his supporting hand to several downtrodden people of the municipality.
Similarly, Sarita Sahu, wife of popular BJD leader Ranjit Kumar Sahu, is also another frontliner to get BJD ticket for the chairperson post.
Sarita is a green horn in politics. She has has an upper hand as her husband is an influential leader in the township. Ranjit Sahu did several developmental works in his wards during his three-time tenure as councillor, but during the last poll, he was defeated by Congress candidate Sarat Beura.
According to political observers, everything depends on the good will and the recommendation of local MLA and district BJD president. Renubala has an edge over Sarita from this point of view.