Koraput: All three main political parties in Odisha have unanimously decided to field joint candidates for the upcoming rural polls in Kotia panchayat of Koraput district.
The three political parties, BJD, BJP and Congress, will field candidates for the post of sarpanch, samiti members and Zilla parishad members in the Kotia panchayat.
The matter came to the fore at an all-party meeting held in Koraput, Thursday. Kotia panchayat has 28 revenue villages consisting of 13 wards with more than 5,000 voters.
Notably, Kotia has been on the edge, repeatedly hitting the headlines over frequent incursions by officials and public representatives of Andhra Pradesh in the area and displays of brazen highhandedness.
The neighbouring state is carrying out developmental works in the panchayat and distributing freebies to people claiming the panchayat land as its own.
This was stated here by BJD president, Ishwar Chandra Panigrahi to mediapersons, Wednesday. Panigrahi said that the candidates will be fielded on the premises of ‘Age Mati, Pachhare Party’ (Motherland first, Party next) while interacting with mediapersons.
Similarly, Tara Prasad Bahinipati, senior Congress leader and Jeypore MLA, also confirmed the development.
Jayram Pangi, former MP and senior BJP leader, said the candidates will be nominated for the Kotia panchayat after a discussion with all the three mainstream parties.
Among others, Koraput MLA Raghuram Padal, his Pottangi counterpart Pritam Padhi, former Pottangi MLA Rama Chandra Kadam, Koraput district Congress president Meenakshi Bahinipati and BJD leader Prafulla Pangi attended the meeting.
Meanwhile, six people have filed their nominations for sarpanch while eight have filed nomination papers for ward members and samiti members on the fourth day of nomination filing.
PNN