By SANTOSH MOHANTY
As the D-Day is nearing, Zone-4 Zilla Parishad seat in Bantala region in Angul district is all set to witness a battle royal between BJP candidate Durga Charan Pradhan and BJD's Dhruba Charan Dehury.
Pradhan, who was earlier the Block BJD president, has joined BJP a few days before the announcement of Panchayat poll. The veteran leader of Bantala area was believed to have left BJD after being constantly pushed to the wall by the ruling party leaders.
Political observers in Bantala area said Dehury has mopped up all resources at his command to give a tough fight to Pradhan who is believed to be riding the crest of a wave. They said both Pradhan and Dehury are astute leaders with grass root following and trying their best to showcase Naveen and Modi's welfare schemes for the betterment people particularly those who are in the lower strata of society.
Close followers of panchayat poll campaigning in Zilla Parishad Zone 4 said the general electorate are more concerned with nagging issues of Bantala area such as drinking water and irrigation which are never fulfilled despite promises doled out by the leaders during campaigning. A number of drinking water and irrigation projects are in limbo despite public outcry. A decade has elapsed, yet the people of Bantala are yet to get piped drinking water facility. The standpipes have been damaged since long due to non-functioning of the piped water project.
Political observers maintained that the issues matter most and the general voters are now convinced that the leader who is genuinely concerned over their plight and strive hard to resolved their problem might win their confidence. Therefore, it is premature to come to a conclusion who will hit the jackpot.
Although BJD, BJP seemed to be locked in a battle, the Congress candidate Bhaskar Pradhan is trying his best to be in the reckoning.
