Contenders for top job: Minakhi Behera, Anita Behera and Sulochana Sethi. Pictures by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, Feb. 7: The race for the post of city mayor has narrowed down to five BJD candidates with the post being reserved for scheduled caste women.

While ward Nos. 21, 39, 45 and 51 are reserved for scheduled caste women, BJD candidates — Anita Behera, Sulochana Sethi, Minakhi Behera and Mamata Behera — have won from four wards, respectively.

Another scheduled caste woman candidate — Itishree Behera of the BJD — has won from ward No. 2, which is a general seat. She could also be in the race for the coveted post. The election for mayor will be held on February 10. Incidentally, all the five leaders will be entering into the corporation for the first time.

BJD leader and Choudwar Cuttack MLA Pravat Biswal said: “There will be no contest for the mayor post as our party leader and chief minister Naveen Patnaik will select the candidate for the post and his decision will be final.” Considering that the aspirants are first-timers, Naveen will have a tough choice in selecting the candidate.

A BJD candidate and supporters celebrate poll victory in Cuttack on Friday. Picture by Badrika Nath Das

Anita Behera, having a Plus Two qualification, won from ward No. 21 on a BJD ticket. She promised “to ensure benefit of government programmes for the people”. She won, securing 1,603 votes and leaving the BJP candidate trailing by 574 votes.

Sulochana Sethi, a matriculate, had sought votes from ward No. 39 to serve the people and do away with the waterlogging problem in the area. She trounced her nearest Congress rival by 109 votes.

Plus Two educated Minakhi Behera has committed to ensure adequate drinking water supply and solve waterlogging problem in her ward No. 45. She bagged 3,054 votes for the BJD to win over her Congress rival by a margin of 1,369 votes. Mamata Behera and Itishree Behera won from ward Nos. 51 and 2 getting 1,866 and 896 votes, respectively, to defeats their Independent and Congress rivals.