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Saturday, Nov 29, 2008
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Poll campaign gains momentum

Staff Reporter

Elections in Phulbani and G. Udaygiri on December 2

BERHAMPUR: Campaigning for urban body polls is slowly picking up in Phulbani and G. Udaygiri in Kandhamal district. These are the only two recognised urban centres of this communal violence-hit district.

Both the Phulbani municipality and the G. Udaygiri Notified Area Council (NAC) are 13 member bodies. The elections to the Phulbani Municipality and G. Udaygiri NAC could not be held along with polls for other urban bodies in the State in September due to the continuation of communal tension. The urban body elections of these two places were postponed by the State Election Commission (SEC) as prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC were in force in the whole of Kandhamal as peace was yet to be restored in most parts of the district.

The SEC had fixed the next date of election for Phulbani and G.Udaygiri urban bodies as December 2. The campaign was low key. But it picked up during the last phase of campaign.

On Friday, BJP State Minister Surama Padhi was in Phulbani and G. Udaygiri to campaign for the BJD-BJP alliance candidates. Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief Naveen Patnaik is scheduled to campaign in these places on Sunday. Former BJD State Minister Padmanabh Behera, who was campaigning at Phulbani, had refrained from visiting G. Udaygiri as tribals are opposed to him and G. Udaygiri was tribal dominated.

67 in fray

A total of 67 candidates are in fray at Phulbani. Congress has fielded candidates in all the 13 wards. The BJD and the BJP have been able to make an official alliance with the BJD contesting seven wards and the BJP contesting in the rest six. But all parties have their rebel candidates who are contesting as independents.

Similar is the situation at G. Udaygiri where the BJD and the BJP have been able to share wards to face their main rival the Congress. It is said that the organised and united women of this area would play a major role in the election. In recent past the women of the area have organised several demonstrations in the area over different issues. Some voters of G. Udaygiri are still lodged at the local relief camp. The authorities are not allowing any candidate to campaign in the relief camps.

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