By SANTOSH MOHANTY
The New Year has provided much needed opportunities for aspirants of the ensuing Panchayat polls in Angul district, particularly in Bantala region, by putting up posters and banners to greet voters.
They have resorted to the tactic to woo gullible voters in the villages to cast their ballot in their favour, political observers maintained.
The village squares and important intersections of semi-urban and rural localities in the district are virtually bedecked with large posters. Although the election commission is still undecided on the possible dates for the Panchayat polls in the State, sources close to the poll body have indicated that the schedule might be announced in the second week of January.
However, uncertainty still looms large over the announcement of the poll dates due to rising cases of Omicron in Odisha.
Political observers have maintained that the prevailing pre-poll scenario can be described as 'Poster War' among the aspiring candidates. Such practice among the aspirants has given rise to ill feelings which has resulted in defacing and tearing of banners and posters displayed at prime locations in the gram panchayats all over the district.
The observers said poll violence has already set in the relatively calm village surroundings. They advised the district authorities, particularly the police, to deploy reinforcements to contain such violent activities so that the ensuing poll scenario is not vitiated.
Meanwhile, the fresh list of reservation for urban body polls has been published. The list has been published after doing away with the reservation for Other Backward castes (OBCs). The industrial district of Angul has two municipalities i.e Angul and Talcher and Athamallik has the status of Notified Area Council (NAC).
