From Identical Names to Strange Demands by Villagers, Some Interesting Happenings of Panchayat Polls That Will Amuse You

Bhubaneswar: With the three-tier Panchayat Polls in Odisha going to be held in the second week of February, the grassroots political atmosphere in the state has turned hectic. After the publication of the final list of candidates for the Sarpanch, Panchayat Samiti and Zilla Paishad polls, and the allotment of symbols, the campaigning activity has speeded up.

Candidates have started approaching voters by going from door to door and promising them everything for their support. While the campaign process continues in the rural hinterlands, there are some interesting happenings in the sidelines that are bound to interest you.

One such interesting affair that came to the fore is from Bisoi Block of Mayurbhanj District. The fight is an interesting one as both the candidates for the Zone-34 of Bisoi Block have the same names – Arati Mohanta. While the Zone is reserved for women candidates, the Biju Janata Dal has fielded Arati Mohanta, a relative of Rajya Sabha Member Mamata Mohanta, and the Bharatiya Janata Party has fielded Arati Mohanta, the wife of Jurilal Mohanta, a well known local politician. During the 2017 Panchayat elections, the BJP had won the seat, but this time, the BJD is banking on the development agenda to win the seat. The name also holds the key in the win or loss of the candidates.

Another issue that is surely going to catch the attention of the administration and readers as well is the surprising demand put by the voters to the candidates coming for campaigning. The voters of Gop Gadadharpur village in Talapada Panchayat are demanding the contesting candidates to solve the problem of monkey menace in the village and Panchayat. They want their village monkey free. This is the main demand put forth by the villagers as more than ten persons have been injured with monkey bites in the last three months. A herd of thirty monkeys is creating ruckus in the Panchayat and the forest department is unable to catch them. While the monkeys are destroying the vegetable crops in the villages, children, women and old people are fearing to venture out for the last few days. Whoever solves their issue gets the vote.

An interesting scene came to the fore in Ganjam district’s Aitipur Panchayat under Khallikote Block. The marriage of a woman candidate has become the talk of the villages during these Panchayat polls. While the Sarapancha candidate Prabhati Sahu is married to Prasant Palei in court, she had no traditional wedding ceremony in the village. After the opponent candidate raised the issue of Prabhati’s marriage during the campaigning, Prabhati decided to solemnize her marriage in a traditional way in the village and go for seeking votes as a newly wedded bride. While Prabhati’s male family members are in the political field for a long time, she plunged to the battle ground as the seat was reserved for women candidates this time.