Dhenkanal: The Hindol Notified Area Council is all set to go to the polls on Tuesday. Both the BJD and the BJP are making desperate efforts to capture the civic body.
The local administration has made arrangements for smooth polling in all the 16 wards and has set up 16 booths. The area has 9,407 voters, said Hindol sub-collector Bhabesh Nayak.
"We have mobilised officials for the smooth conduct of the poll here on April 3. Our polling parties have already been deployed and they have also reported their presence at the booths. Strict vigil is being maintained to check any unfairness during the poll," said Nayak.
He said elaborate police arrangements have already been made and six patrolling teams would cover the entire town during the polling. "The town has been divided into four sectors which will be headed by senior police and administrative officials to ensure law and order," he added.
He said three booths would be manned completely by women polling and presiding officers. Even the police officers posted there would be women.
The post of Hindol NAC chairman is reserved for a woman from the scheduled caste community. Last time, Congress candidate Sulochana Behera won the seat. But this time, Sulochana is contesting the poll on a BJP ticket. In the last council, the Congress had become single largest party having seven members, the BJD had two members while Independents had won six seats. The BJP could win only one seat.
But poll observers felt that this time, there would be a direct fight between the BJD and the BJP while the Congress had been relegated to a poor third position. All the three parties have put up candidates in all the 16 seats of the council. The Congress maintained a low-key profile even during campaigning and did not field any heavyweight like it used to do earlier.
The BJD and BJP, on the other hand, had fielded cine stars and party heavyweights into campaigning.
Local BJD ministers Nrusingha Sahu and Prafulla Malick and many state leaders, including cine star Anubhab Mohanty were here to campaign for the state's ruling party this time.
