(Left-to-right) Ashok Kumar Sinha, Ajay Yadav, Anuradha Devi and ward number 28's sitting councillor Vinay Kumar Pappu file nomination papers for Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) polls at the Patna collectorate on Saturday.

Sitting councillors and first-timers alike were found seeking divine blessings at various shrines before filling their nomination on the first day of filling of nomination papers for the elections.

Some of them took out processions to meet prospective voters before filing their nomination. Altogether, 47 people filed their papers on Day I. The last date for filling is May 9.

Clad in an orange kurta and white pyjama, Pappu reached the collectorate around 11.40am.

"I made it a point to visit three shrines (Durga temple near Golghar, Mahavir temple at Patna Junction and Kali temple near Kargil Chowk)," Pappu said. "Today was very auspicious because of Akshay Tritiya. My wife suggested I visit the shrines to make chances of my winning stronger." He is contesting from the ward he now represents.

Anuradha Devi, a first-timer, is an executive committee member of the All India Progressive Women's Association (AIPWA).

"Assisting people get their old-age pension and ration card are issues I want to address if I win," said Anuradha, who spent nearly two hours meeting voters before filing her nomination. Some sitting councillors said they planned to file their nomination paper towards the end to avoid the initial rush.

Ajay Yadav, husband of Sudha Devi, the sitting councillor from ward 44, filed his paper for the ward his wife represents.

He sought blessings at the Kankerbagh Sai temple first.

Asked why his wife was not contesting this time, Ajay said: "Earlier, this ward was reserved for women. My wife was councillor, but she is not keen politically. I was the one who did all councillor-related work. Now that the ward has become a general seat, I can serve it directly." Ashok Kumar Sinha, 52, is a first-timer who runs a computer institute in Kidwaipuri.

Text by Shuchismita Chakraborty, picture by Nagendra Kumar Singh