A candidate files his nomination for the upcoming Kendrapara civic polls (file picture)

Kendrapara, Nov. 3: Filing of nomination papers by active members of various political parties as rebel candidates for the November 15 civic polls here has caused headache for these parties, including the ruling BJD.

With contest poised to be neck-to-neck in majority of the 21 urban wards, rebel candidates are all likely to mar the prospect of the parties they represent.

If analysts are to be believed, the rebel candidates hold the key to the final outcome. More than the principal opposition Congress and its allies NCP and BJP, it is the ruling BJD that is contending with pronounced intra-party wrangling and internal strife. Contesting the polls by defying the party diktats has affected all the parties here. Squabbles within the party rank along with files lie thoroughly exposed. When faced with anti-incumbency factors, the BJD encounters the threat from rebels in a larger way.

The minority cell chief of BJD, Kaiser Ali, staged an open revolt while spewing venom on the selection of candidates.

“Individuals with doubtful integrity and dubious credentials were given party tickets. The party bigwigs have ruined the poll prospects by making the worst choice of nominees. It has fielded the illicit liquor traders, tender-fixers and persons with tainted image. The hardworking and sincere workers who did a lot for the growth of organisation were denied a ticket,” Ali said.

However, district BJD president Krutibas Patra refuted the charge and said: “The whole process of candidate selection is transparent. All those contesting on party symbols are good individuals with impeccable public image”.

“Ali has been suspended from primary membership of BJD for anti-party activities. Our party has a democratic set up. No indiscipline will be tolerated. Those contesting polls against the party decision would be summarily suspended.” he said.

BJD district vice-president Gourahari Pati, however, maintained that the voters would reject the rebels. They were denied tickets as they had no popular base in their respective municipal wards.

The BJD nominees were mostly selected on the basis of recommendation of local MP Baijayant Panda, minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak and former minister Bed Prakash Agarwal. However, for some strange reasons, Kendrapara MLA Sipra Mallick was sidelined from the selection process. Aspirants from her camp were upset following denial of tickets and jumped into the fray as rebels. If insiders are to be believed, some of them hold clout and influence.

The Congress also bore the brunt of desertion as some of the prospective candidates switched allegiance to the BJD to bag the ruling party’s ticket to contest the polls.