Kedar Prusty withdraws his nomination in Cuttack on Friday. Picture by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, Jan. 25: Battle lines are now drawn for election to the municipal corporation scheduled to be held here on February 6.

Yesterday was the last day for withdrawal of nomination and the rebel problem continues to haunt the BJD as six sitting councillors (either themselves or their spouses) and more than a dozen rebel candidates remained in the poll fray among a total number of 350 candidates.

Efforts of senior BJD leaders to ensure that all rebels withdraw were apparently of no avail.

There are 59 wards in the Cuttack Municipal Corporation, and the three main contenders — the BJD, BJP and the Congress — fielded candidates for all the 59 seats. But, Congress candidate from ward No. 41 Mohammad Wasim withdrew his nomination paper on personal grounds.

Foremost among those, who withdrew their nomination, include sitting BJD councillors Kedar Prusty and Nirupama Hati, who had filed papers as Independent candidates for ward Nos. 29 and 2, respectively. Their sister-in-law and sister were given party tickets.

“The BJD candidate for ward No. 2, Itishree Behera, is my sister,” Nirupama said.

The Congress said there were no rebel candidates in the fray. “There were minor differences in some wards. But, we have sorted it out,” said Cuttack City Congress Committee chief Md Moquim.

The Left parties – CPI and CPM — are contesting from seven wards. The Bahujan Samaj Party has also fielded candidates from one ward.

The Odisha Jana Morcha is contesting from 22 wards. “Initially, the party had decided to contest from 37 wards. But a decision of not to contest from 15 wards was taken to prevent further splitting of Opposition votes and win of the BJD as either the Left parties or Independent candidates had chances of winning from the wards,” said Morcha president Pyari Mohan Mohapatra.

Cuttack civic polls would be the first test for the Odisha Jana Morcha in electoral politics. Another fledgling party, the Ama Odisha, has fielded Independent candidates from 35 wards.

“We have given emphasis on minimum matriculation qualification with substantial number of the candidates being postgraduates,” said Md Shakeel, city co-ordinator for the Ama Odisha.