Cong forms panel to study ULB poll debacle

The Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) has constituted a committee under the chairmanship of former Chief Minister Hemananda Biswal to find out the reasons for its debacle in recently-held urban local body (ULB) elections in the state.

Satyabadi MLA Prasad Harichandan has been appointed as the convenor of committee, which will visit the areas where it had chances to win, but could not. The committee will submit its report within 15 days.

"It has come to the notice of the PCC that some party people have worked against the party in different places by fielding independent candidates, thereby leading to the defeat of our party nominees. The committee will find out the details," said Jayadev Jena, president, PCC.
 

It has been alleged that in Anandpur municipality in Keonjhar district, the home turf of Jena, six independent candidates won the election resulting in a hung municipal council.

Former PCC head, Niranjan Patnaik, who also hails from Anandpur area, said, he was not involved in the campaigning. In Anandpur, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) won in 6 seats and Congress 3, while the Independents bagged 6 wards.

Meanwhile, clear picture is yet to emerge on formation of council in about eight urban local bodies including Anandpur, which have received fractured mandate, as no party has won majority. The other ULBs are Koraput notified area council (NAC), Kotpad NAC, Udala NAC, Kodala NAC, and Joda, Jatni, Anandpur and Soro municipality.

In some of the urban local bodies, either BJD or Congress might form the council while in two places the independent candidates will decide among themselves to select a chairperson.

After the first phase municipal polls, the state government has initiated steps to conduct elections in 25 ULBs of western Odisha, which were left out in the recent poll process because of people's agitation over establishment of a permanent bench of the High Court in the region. It has been decided that an administrator will be appointed in the area by 29 September, while polls would be conducted in December.

The state government, has, meanwhile, made up its mind to send its recommendation to the Centre about establishing a High Court bench in western Odisha.