Mahakalpada: As many as 30,000 Bengali voters residing in 11 panchayats will play a decisive role in the outcome of polls for zilla parishad (ZP) zone no-22 and 23 under this block in Kendrapara district, a report said.
These two zones comprising 11 panchayats and having over 69,000 voters will go to polls February 24.
Of the total number of voters, more than 30,000 are Bengalis. While zone 22 has over 35,000 voters, zone 23 has more than 34,000 voters, said sources.
Candidates of various political parties are adopting different strategies to lure these Bengali voters to win the elections.
According to sources, over 10,000 traditional fishermen reside in Batighar, Kharinasi, Ramnagar, Petachhela, Baulakani, Jambu, Suniti, Nanjura, Gagua, Kansar and Bada Dandua panchayats under the block.
On the other hand, Bengali and fishermen voters of these two zones are grappling with two main issues.
They are: Restrictions imposed on fishing in the marine sanctuary area and unavailability of permanent land pattas to the Bengali voters residing on forest lands for years.
According to locals, during every election various political parties promise them the moon but forget them once the election is over. These two problems are always haunting the fishermen and Bengali voters.
However, not to rest with, the ruling BJD, which has been wining from these two zones, is leaving no stone unturned to win the elections. Appu Parida from BJD, Saroj Kanta Sahu from BJP and Braja Mohan Mandal from Congress are contesting from zone-22.
BJD’s Kabita Mallick won from this zone with more than 11,000 votes in 2017 panchayat polls.
Similarly, from ZP zone no-23, Mrutyunjaya Mandal from BJD, Sashi Kanta Parida from BJP, Narottam Partha Sarathi from CPM and Sushil Senapati from Congress and an independent are contesting from this zone.
BJD’s Madhavi Lata Haldar won from this zone in 2017 panchayat polls. Election observers said that the going will be tough for BJD as BJP is giving a tough fight to the ruling party in the panchayat polls.
BJD candidates have realised this reality and are pulling out all the stops to protect their citadel in these two zones.
PNN
