Politics News Updates

Keeping the rising case of Covid-19 in the State in mind, the Odisha State Election Commission has already laid down a set of guidelines to be followed during the Panchayat elections.

While the villagers are yet to get ration cards, drinking water, pucca roads, construction of school building and Anganwadi centre’s boundary wall have been in their wish list for a long period now.   

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is critical of the Union Budget for overlooking the Odisha’s interest by charging that the Centre has adopted a discriminatory approach in rural housing sector by ignoring the genuine demands of the State.

In an exclusive interview to OTV, the Union Minister termed the conduct of the police ‘unfortunate’.

This budget will only increase the inequality and leave the largest section of our population vulnerable and dependent on handouts, said Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi.

It is not just about male candidates. Several female candidates also have chipped in for different positions in the Panchayat elections.

BJD's Zilla Parishad (ZP) member candidate Ranjan Sahoo, Zone 5's ZP member Balabhadra Lenka, local Sarpanch and Samiti member candidate were among others present at the event.

In a letter to Union Minister Giriraj Singh, Odisha Odisha Panchayat Minister Pratap Jena accused the Centre of ignoring a promise made in May 2019 to Odisha in the aftermath of cyclonic storm Fani for approval of 1.84 lakh houses under the special PMAY-Gramin programme.

As the three-tier Panchayat elections in Odisha inch nearer, anticipation for the polls to the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) is gradually taking centre stage in the state politics.

The assembly election in five poll-bound states are scheduled to begin from February 10. Polling in Uttar Pradesh will take place in seven phases, while Manipur will vote in two phases, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Goa will vote for assembly election in a single phase.

Disgruntled Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leaders who are contesting the Zilla Parishad elections independently after they were denied party tickets are perceived as a headache for the party.

Durgamani Jena who has filed her nomination for Samiti Member post from Kusuda panchayat is trying to win the confidence of the voters with a kettle in her hand. 

Nayak is said to have almost secured the post unofficially as uncontested since no other participant has filed nomination against him, sources informed, adding that, Gangadhar’s wife was also elected as a ward member in the 2017 rural elections.

The decision in this regard has been taken in a meeting convened by Niyamgiri Pahada Surkhya Samiti under the stewardship of Lad Sika

The person concerned purportedly distributing cash in the video is said to be a Zilla Parishad candidate of the ruling BJD