Berhamapur: Altogether 256 candidates are in the fray for the 69 zilla parsihad (ZP) zones in Ganjam district, said sources.
According to reports, 67 ZP seats will see triangular fight as the Congress was unable to field candidates for two ZP seats.
CPI has fielded six candidates, CPM three, BSP five while 14 and 13 candidates are from other parties and independents respectively. Meanwhile, candidates contesting for posts of sarpanch, samiti member and ward member have started their door-to-door campaign.
A total of 1,563 candidates are contesting for sarpanchs, 10,500 ward members and 1,348 samiti members in 503 panchayats of 22 blocks.
According to political observers, the BJD and BJP are focusing on winning more seats of sarpanchs and ZP members while the Congress seems to have lagging behind in campaign, given its weak organisational base. Congress had failed to find a candidate for ZP zone-15 in Chikiti block. CPI has fielded its candidate for ZP zone-25 in Digapahandi block as part of seat arrangement with Congress, said Maheswar Patra, vice president of the district unit of Congress.
In ZP zone-15 under Sadar block, both CPI and CPM have fielded their own candidates, pointing out lack of mutual support and coordination.
On the other hand, the BJD and BJP have been working on their own strategies to grab more ZP zones in the district.
