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Friday, Nov 21, 2008
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Campaigning gains momentum

Staff Reporter

Candidates go around slums doling out promises
No report of poll violence

BHUBANESWAR: At a time when candidates contesting Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections are making all out efforts to reach out to as many voters as they could, there is another initiative that could set standard in the ongoing election campaigning.

Candidates contesting for councillor’s post of Ward-23 in BMC are likely to address voters from a common platform and spell out their vision of development for the area.

Ananda Bazar Uranayanna Praishad (ABUP), a citizens’ forum, has taken the initiative for organising the public meeting on November 30, just two days before the scheduled polling.

“Citizens have rights to choose right candidates. Right now they don’t have that option to make a distinction of promises doled out by candidates. Thus we decided to provide a common platform from where candidates will put forth their action plan of development before voters,” ABUP President Gatikrushna Jena said.

He claimed that all five women candidates contesting elections in Ward-23 had given their consent to address.

ABUP, however, cautioned them not to indulge in mudslinging and character assassinations. “However, they will be free to highlight their party’s ideology. Independent candidates can also speak on the principles they believe. But above all the development programmes should be given emphasis,” he said.

Noble approach

Reacting to the noble approach on campaigning, Niharika Mohapatra, an independent candidate, said, “this is a welcome step. People will get a fair amount of idea that who should represent them.” Other candidates are getting ready for the D-Day.

Ward-23 has a major chunk of voters who are government employees. Keeping this in mind, organisers have slotted the meeting, “Why I stand for” on Sunday.

Meanwhile, campaigning in other parts of the city has picked momentum. As the slum dwellers held the key in ensuring win in the election, candidates were making beelines in slums doling out promises.

There has been no report or any poll related violence from the city.

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