Koraput: In a befitting reply to the evil designs of Andhra Pradesh, the three major political parties Biju Janata Dal, Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress have decided to field joint candidates with consensus for the various posts in the Panchayat Elections for Kotia Panchayat. Leaders of the three political parties have come together and have set aside the differences for the development of the Kotia Panchayat by deciding to adopt selection and not elections for the Kotia Panchayat in Koraput District. They will decide on the consensus candidates for the Sarpanch, Samiti Member and Ward Member posts for Kotia Panchayat. The same process will also be applied for the Zilla Parishad candidate as well who will resign from the party post to which he or she belongs to.
The all party meeting held today was attended by the leaders of the three political parties BJD, BJP and Congress. While the meeting was presided by BJD District President Ishwar Panigrahi, Jayaram Pangi of BJP and Minakhshi Bahinipati of the Congress represented their parties. It was decided in the meeting that whoever is selected through consensus will leave his/her political affiliation for the good cause of Kotia. The candidates will also be selected from the Kotia Panchayat only, it was decided.
This comes at a time when Andhra Pradesh is showing its evil designs in the Panchayat by interfering in the administration despite the Supreme Court ordering for a status quo.
The process of nominations is continuing for the three-tier Panchayat polls and five candidates have filled for ward member posts, seven have filed for Sarpanch and one for Panchayat Samiti member post. Kotia has more than five thousand eligible voters in 13 wards of 28 revenue villages and 12 other villages that will go for polls on the 18th of February.