Cuttack: Political atmosphere in the Silver City has heated up with the notification of the final reservation list for the mayor and corporator posts for the civic body election, which is likely to be conducted anytime around April this year.
The mayor’s post for Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) has been declared unreserved while 33 wards of the total 59 in the city have been reserved for various sections for the civic body poll, sources said.
The three major political parties in state—the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress—have initiated a process to select suitable candidates for the election.
They have also intensified their organisational work in almost all wards of the city to win the mayor and a majority of corporator posts, sources added.
The ruling BJD, which had formed the council in the city in the last two civic body polls, is making all-out efforts to score a hat-trick by winning this year’s civic body election.
On the other hand, the BJP is hopeful of doing well in this election, which is being considered very crucial ahead of the 2024 Assembly elections. The Congress party is also trying its best to raise its tally in the urban polls.
There are multiple aspirants for the mayor and corporators’ posts in the three major parties. These aspirants may fight the election as independent candidates if they fail to get tickets from their respective parties, sources said.
The independent candidates may queer the pitch for the official nominees of the three major parties. So, the parties will face a tough situation to select candidates for the civic body election.
They have to mollify the dissidents and make sure that the aspirants, who have been denied party tickets, must not fight the election as independent nominees, said a political observer.
“We have a very good organisation in Cuttack. Our government has taken up many development works for the people of this city. We will recommend the names of twothree aspirants from each ward to the party president after due consultation with our workers and well-wishers. The party leadership will take a call on the final candidates. Our workers will happily accept the decision,” said BJD leader Subhash Singh.
BJP leader Lalatendu Badu, however, said the saffron party has formed separate committees for poll management in each ward.
“The state leadership of the party will select the candidates after consulting our workers from each ward. There is no chance of any revolt or infighting in our party over ticket distribution,” he added.
Cuttack city Congress president Giribala Behera said her party is fully prepared for the urban polls.
“We have taken several steps to strengthen our organisation in each ward of the city. The party will field appropriate candidates for all 59 wards. We are quite sure that our candidates will win from a majority of wards and we will form the council. The people have lost their faith in the BJD government and BJP government at the Centre,” she added.
PNN