Amidst the soaring political temperature in the urban areas of the State, aspirants, including several heavy weights, filed nomination papers for the posts of Mayor and Corporator in Cuttack, Bhubaneswar and Berhampur Municipal Corporations on Monday, the last day for filing candidature.
In Cuttack, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took out grand processions for their respective Mayor candidates that passed through the roads and lanes of the city before culminating at the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) office at Choudhary Bazar.
Soon after filing his nomination papers, BJP’s Mayoral candidate and actor-turned politician Sritam Das exuded confidence that he has the support of Cuttack city residents. “Since I was born and brought up in Cuttack, I am well aware of the issues the city faces. If I win, will try my level best to address those,” said Das
Subash Singh, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Mayoral candidate, arrived at the CMC office with his supporters to file nomination. A confident Singh said he was sure that the people of Cuttack would vote him to power to provide the necessary impetus to Naveen Patnaik’s developmental projects and activities.
“The CM has a plan to give a new look to the Millennium city. He has chosen me to be a part of this plan. I hope the people of Cuttack city repose faith in me and vote me to the office,” said Singh.
Notably, Giribala Behera, Congress’s Mayor candidate for the CMC, had filed her nominations on Sunday.
The scene at the ADM office in Bhubaneswar was not different either. Amidst sloganeering, waving of party flags, bursting of crackers and playing of DJ music by supporters, Sulochana Das and Suniti Mund, the BMC Mayor candidates from the BJD and BJP, respectively, reached the ADM’s office to file their nominations.
While Das was seen accompanied by all three MLAs of Bhubaneswar and former MP Prasanna Patshani, Bhubaneswar district BJP president Babu Singh, leader Jagannath Pradhan and other leaders came in tow with Mund.
Das said, “The people of Bhubaneswar have stayed with the BJD and it will be reflected in this election too.”
Similarly, Mund was also confident that the citizens of the Capital city won’t let her down. “If elected, I will transform the Capital city into the number one city of India,” Mund added.
The grand old party Congress has fielded Madhusmita Acharya as its Mayoral candidate. She had filed nominations on Sunday.
For the Mayor post of the Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC), Sanghamitra Dalei (BJD), Sabita Suar (BJP) and Manju Rath (Congress) also filed their nominations today.
At the same time, nominations for the posts of corporator in the three corporations and chairmen and councilors for 106 civic bodies across the State were also filed on Monday.