By SANTOSH MOHANTY
The Zilla Parishad(ZP) poll in Angul district, in all probability, will be a two cornered contest for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Biju Janata Dal(BJD) candidates, poll analysts said.
They said that the saffron party this time has chalked out strategy for an impressive show at the hustings . Top party brasses have asked leaders like Sajib Sahu and Durga Pradhan, who have joined the saffron party after being disgruntled over years with BJD leadership, to lead the show at their respective regions to ensure votes at any cost. While Sahu is the former BJD MLA of Athamallik, Pradhan is the former vice chairman of Angul block.
The observers said BJP has been trying to give its best performance in the coming exercise. In the last panchayat election, BJP had bagged 12 ZP seats of the total of 28. Party sources said Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is hell bent to win as many seats as possible as this has become a prestige issue for him. He has given strict instructions to the party workers and local leaders to outshine the rival BJD leaders in the poll.
Sources said Union Minister's wife has been meeting BJP leaders and workers in Angul district to discuss about the strategy to garner more support of the people and convert their goodwill to votes at ZP election. Although Angul district is known to be a pocket borough for BJD, infighting among party workers and MLAs not keeping well with Dhenkanal MP Mahesh Sahoo has created chinks in the party's armour.
Political pundits maintained that the saffron party has been trying to cash in on from the adverse situation BJD is facing when the grampanchayat polls will be held next month.
The Congress in Angul district, like other areas of Odisha, has become a party without rudder, the political analysts said and added it might take the position of a poor third at the hustings.
