Baripada: After the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) won back its fort in Mayurbhanj in the panchayat elections, exercise has started to form the panchayat samitis and zilla parishad (ZP), amid a huge number of hopefuls for the ZP chairperson post.
The party has won 53 out of 56 ZP seats. Now, the party is dealing with the hopefuls for ZP chairman post. The number of aspirants for the plum post is increasing by the day, a report said.
However, the frontline leaders, MLAs and MP in touch with state leadership have been brainstorming on who will be seated on the chair. The ZP chairman post, which has been reserved for scheduled tribe (ST) candidate, will go to polls March 13.
The leaders of east and west organisational units in the district have started buzzing names of various ZP members as possible nominee for the top post.
However, it was learnt that a decision to choose chairman for the ZP will be taken as per the instructions from the high command of the ruling party. This time, 32 ST candidates have been elected as ZP members.
Some of them have secured hat-trick wins while some others have won by huge margins.
However, speculation is rife that leadership experience, organisational ability and education will be taken into consideration while picking up a right candidate.
It was said that if a right candidate acceptable to all is not chosen, possibility of bickering can’t be ruled out later.
Notably, the BJP which had formed ZP council by bagging 49 seats in 2017 has failed to get a seat this time. JMM has managed to get three seats while Congress got none.
PNN