Perhaps after Urban Cooperative elections, the elections for Central Puja Committee (CPC) will be another political battle here before the Municipal Corporation elections.
Sources said the nominations for general secretary, treasurer, three vice presidents and joint secretaries for Civil Township, Steel Township and Fertiliser Township zones and two executive committee members will be held on March 16 and 17; scrutiny will be held on March 18 and nomination withdrawal will be held till 2.00pm on March 19. The polling will be on March 31 from 9 am to 4 pm in ITDA hall and counting will take place the same evening. Either president or secretary of each puja committee enrolled under CPC can cast vote. Rourkela Tehsildar PK Sahoo is the returning officer.
The election for the CPC would be held after a long gap because for the last many years with political pressure the district administration had been forming a nominated body. That is why favouritism slur was often made against the administration and there was a demand for CPC elections. Political observers feel the CPC will be another test for various political parties before the corporation elections.