Bhubaneswar, Sept. 29: Elections to the posts of chairpersons of 66 civic bodies, where polling was held on September 19, will be held tomorrow and major parties are holding parleys to form councils.
While the BJD is pulling out all stops to form councils in at least in 50 of these civic bodies, the main opposition party, Congress, seems set to capture the top posts at 10 places.
The BJD is certain to form the council in the prestigious Berhampur Municipal Corporation, but all eyes are now set on who becomes the mayor.
Significantly, the winning councillors from various places, who had left their respective towns fearing attempts at poaching, are returning home. “Many of the candidates will reach tomorrow morning,” said a senior BJD leader.
BJD supremo and chief minister Naveen Patnaik today met party leaders at Naveen Nivas and discussed the prospects of various candidates, who are likely to file their candidatures for the post of chairpersons tomorrow.
BJD vice-president and minister Surjya Narayan Patro said: “We will certainly form council in 50 urban bodies. All the Independents have pledged their support to the party, as they feel that under the state government, they will be able to carry out various developmental programmes.”
The election for the top posts will be particularly interesting in civic bodies where no party has a clear majority. These civic bodies are Ganjam, Kodala, Koraput, Kotpad, Dhenkanal, Bhuban, Talcher, Soro, Jatni, Karanjia, Rairangpur, Udala, Anandpur, Joda and Barbil.
The BJD claimed that out of these 15 civic bodies, the party is almost certain to win at eight places. The situation in the rest seven will be clear at the last moment.
Party’s Balasore district unit president Ananta Das, who met Naveen Patnaik today, said: “We have already intimated our stand to the party president. Whatever he decides will be binding on us.”
Another MLA Purna Chandra Sethi said: “There have been some differences over electing chairpersons for the civic bodies in Ganjam district. The differences will be sorted out soon.”
