Bhubaneswar: A former cabinet minister, two ex-legislators, a Canada-returned software engineer, a doctor, MBA students, former jawans are among those in the fray for the three-tier panchayat elections in Odisha.
One set of these contestants claimed that they want to serve the people and no post is bad for that, while others asserted that their focus is to develop a particular area.
Former cabinet minister and three-time MLA Anjali Behera has filed her nomination paper for the post of panchayat samiti member’s post from Giridharprasad Gram Panchayat under Hindol block of Dhenkanal district. She was elected to Odisha Assembly on BJD ticket in 2000, 2004 and 2009 and was minister of women and child development from 2009 to 2012 before she was sacked from the ruling party.
Behera joined the BJP after she lost the 2014 Assembly elections as an Independent candidate.
“My father Trinath Naik was a minister. Since I hail from a political family, my aim in life is to work for the people and not for any post. Contesting for panchayat samiti member is not bad. I may be elected as the chairperson of Hindol block,” she said.
A former MLA from Bhandaripokhari Assembly segment, Prafulla Jena has filed nomination for the Zilla Parishad member in Bhadrak district.
“The party has fielded me and as a disciplined soldier, I am contesting for the Zilla Parishad post. I intend to further strengthen the BJD in Bhadrak district,” he said.
Halu Mundari, a former MLA from Raghunathpalli , is also trying his luck as a Zilla Parishad member candidate in Sundergah district.
The Cuttck district Zilla Parishad Chairperson Jyotirekh Nayak this time is not contesting for the ZP member but filed nomination for the Sarpanch post from Orasingha Gram Panchayat under Salipur block.
“I want to develop my panchayat first and therefore preferred to contest for the Sarpanch post,” she said.
Ratikant Panda, a software engineer, who worked in Canada, has also filed his nomination paper as a Zilla Parishad member from Nabarangpur district as a BJD candidate.
“I have earned money for self and family. Now, I want to give my service to the people of my district who need development in agriculture, health and education. I think I can serve them better by using technology,” Panda said.
Another IT professional Santosh Pradhan is contesting as a Congress candidate in Brahmagiri area in Puri district. “Getting a job is not difficult for me, but to make people self sufficient is a challenge which I want to take,” he said.
Lipika Majhi, a young dentist working in a private hospital in Bhubaneswar and daughter of former MLA Bhujabal Majo, has also filed her nomination for ZP member post from Papadahandi block in Nabarangpur district.
“I have watched since childhood how my father serves people. Along with my profession, I can serve the people,” Lipika said.
Pragyna Paramita Jena, a second year MBA student of Utkal University has also filed papers for ZP member in Balasore district on a BJP ticket. “I am impressed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. So, I have decided to work for the people,” she said.
Duryodhan Mohanty (72), a soldier who participated in the 1971 war, and now a Sarpanch in Barunadia Gram Panchayat of Rajkanika block in Kendrapara district, has also filed nomination to try his luck for the third time. He was elected as the Sarpanch in 2007 and 2012 panchayat polls.
“In 2002, I returned to the village after serving in the Indian Army for three decades to lead a peaceful life amidst idyllic rural surroundings… The local residents prevailed upon me to contest in the polls,” Mohanty said.
George Willium Lugoon, an ex-CRPF jawan, has filed his nomination paper for the post of Sarpanch from Ulei gram panchayat in Sundergarh district. “People have trust on jawans. I will keep the faith of the people on security personnel,” he said.
The three-tier panchayat polls in the state will be held in five phases from February 16 to February 24.
PTI