The upcoming civic polls on May 16 are set to be a difficult contest for defending councillors. Most wards in the corporation area are headed for tough battles.

Aruna Rai, 32, former principal of a renowned public school in the capital and a reputed social worker. The highly-educated feisty woman, who unlike many other candidates, speaks fluent English and promises development transcending caste lines, filed nomination for ward number number 65 of Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Friday and is seen as a serious threat to the present councillor from the area, Pratima Devi.

Sources said the total number of candidates in the poll fray is expected to be higher compared to the last PMC elections held in 2007.

“So far, around 800 nomination papers have been sold for 72 wards of the city and though the rate of filing nominations has been comparatively slow in the first five days, we expect a rush of aspirants in the next three days as the date for filing nominations ends on April 24,” Patna additional district magistrate-cum-returning officer Arvind Kumar Tiwari told The Telegraph.

By Friday, 176 candidates filed nominations for the PMC elections that includes various present councillors, including mayor Afzal Imam, deputy mayor Vinay Kumar Pappu and prominent names like Deepak Chaursia, Abha Lata, Krishan Murari Yadav, Sanjay Kumar Singh and Pramila Devi among others.

“Total 101 candidates filed their nominations today. The lengthy paperwork mandated by state election commission could be the primary reason behind the contestants’ slow filing of nominations despite buying the forms much in advance,” Tiwari added.

Though the civic elections in the state are not fought on party lines, several active members affiliated with political parties have also pulled up their socks to fight the poll battle.

A BJP insider said several of its activists are fighting the elections. “In some of the wards, three-four members of our party are pitched against each other. The NDA government has brought development in the state and the activists attached with the BJP-JD(U) are trying to cash in on the popularity of the present government,” said a senior BJP office-bearer.

The poll path could be tough for many candidates as after new delimitations, not many candidates fought elections in newly created wards, the situation will be entirely different this time round.