Bhubaneswar: This time Three Tier Rural Poll will find a number of high profile aspirants, an Ex Cabinet Minister, two former Lawmakers, a Software Engineer, a Physician, MBA students, Ex Jawans, and many others are in the fray.
Ex Minister and three-time Lawmaker, Anjali Behera has filed her nomination paper for the post of Panchayat Samiti Member’s post from Giridharprasad Gram Panchayat under Hindol block of Dhenkanal district.
She was elected to Odisha Legislative Assembly in BJD ticket in 2000, 2004 and 2009 and become Minister of Women and Child Development Department from 2009 to 2012 before she was sacked from the Governing Party.
Later Srimati Behera, joined BJP after she lost the 2014 Assembly elections as an Independent candidate.
“My father Trinath Naik was a Minister. Since I hail from a political family, my aim in life is to work for the people and not for any post. Contesting for panchayat samiti member is not bad. I may be elected as the chairperson of Hindol block,” she said.
Ex-MLA from Bhandaripokhari, Prafulla Jena has filed nomination for the Zilla Parishad Member in Bhadrak district. “The party has fielded me and as a disciplined soldier, I am contesting for the ZP post. I intend to further strengthen BJD in Bhadrak district,” he said.
Similarly, former Lawmaker from Raghunathpalli in Sundargarh district, Halu Mundari, is also trying his luck as a Zilla Parishad Member candidate in Sundergah district.
Cuttck Zilla Parishad Chairperson Jyotirekh Nayak this time is not contesting for the ZP Member but filed nomination for the Sarpanch post from Orasingha Gram Panchayat under Salipur Block.
“I want to develop my panchayat first and therefore preferred to contest for the Sarpanch post,” she said.
Ratikant Panda, a Software Engineer, who worked in Canada, has also filed his nomination paper as a Zilla Parishad Member from Nabarangpur district as a BJD candidate.
“I have earned money for self and family. Now, I want to give my service to the people of my district who need development in agriculture, health and education. I think, I can serve them better by using technology,” Mr.Panda said.
Santosh Pradhan, an IT Honcho is contesting as a Congress candidate in Brahmagiri area in Puri district. “Getting a job is not difficult for me, but to make people self sufficient is a challenge which I want to take,” he said.
Lipika Majhi, a young dentist working in a private hospital in Bhubaneswar and daughter of former MLA Bhujabal Majhi, has also filed her nomination as a ZP Member from Papadahandi block in Nabarangpur district.
“I have watched since childhood how my father serves people. Along with my profession, I can serve the people,” Lipika said.
Pragyna Paramita Jena, a second year MBA student of Utkal University has also filed papers for ZP Member in Balasore district on a BJP ticket. “I am impressed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. So, I have decided to work for the people,” Pragyna said.
Duryodhan Mohanty (72), a Veteran Jawan, who participated in the 1971 war, and now a Sarpanch in Barunadia Gram Panchayat of Rajkanika block in Kendrapara district, has also filed nomination to try his luck for the third time. He was elected as the Sarpanch in 2007 and 2012 panchayat polls.
“In 2002, I returned to the village after serving in the Indian Army for three decades to lead a peaceful life amidst idyllic rural surroundings… The local residents prevailed upon me to contest in the polls. With people reposing trust in me, I won two polls in a row to clean the system in a small way in my gram panchayat”, Mr.Mohanty said.
George Willium Lugoon, an ex-CRPF Veteran has filed his nomination paper for the post of Sarpanch from Ulei gram panchayat in Sundergarh district. “People have trust on the jawans. I will upkeep the faith of the people on security personnel,” he said.