BHUBANESWAR: In power since more than two decades, the ruling BJD on Sunday scripted a new history with the party formed zilla parishads in all the 30 districts, which is first for any political party in the state.
Election for the post of zilla parishad president was held on Sunday across the state while the BJD won comfortably in most of the districts as the opposition parties lack numbers in many districts.
In 2017, the BJD had managed to form zilla parishad in 20 districts as the opposition BJP and Congress had formed zilla parishad in eight and two districts respectively. In 2012, BJD had formed zilla parishads in 28 districts leaving two to Congress.
In the recently-concluded panchayat polls, the BJD had won 765 of total 851 zilla parishad seats, where elections were held recently. Earlier it had won one seat uncontested.
“BJD sources said victory of party candidates in the zilla parishad president polls is the result of immense faith of the voters in the strong leadership of chief minister Naveen Patnaik,” said BJD member Munna Khan.
The party has chosen young, educated and tech-savvy persons without any criminal cases as zilla parishad presidents.
While the average age of all the zilla parishad presidents is 41 years, BJD sources said as many as 15 of the 30 districts have zilla parishad president below the age of 40 years and 23 of the 30 districts (76%) have zilla parishad presidents below the age 50 years.
As many as 18 zilla parishad presidents have completed graduation while eight others have completed at least intermediate level of education, said BJD sources.
Even as there is statutory provision of reservation of 50% of seats for women in the panchayati raj institutions, the chief minister has chosen women in 21 districts to head the zilla parishads, which is also a first in panchayat polls.
To expedite the development process in Swabhiman Anchal (erstwhile cut-off area in Malkangiri district), the BJD selected 26-year-old Samari Tangul from Swabhiman Anchal as the zilla parishad president of the district. She has studied till intermediate level (plus-II).
Similarly, 23-year-old Saraswarti Majhi has been elected as the zilla parishad president of Rayagada district. She has completed her graduation.
In accordance with party’s announcement to provide at least 40% seats to the candidates belonging to backward classes, the BJD had picked as many as 12 OBC candidates (including some women) to head the zilla parishads out of the total 18 unreserved seats. The panchayat election was held without providing any statutory quota to OBC candidates.
Election for the post of zilla parishad president was held on Sunday across the state while the BJD won comfortably in most of the districts as the opposition parties lack numbers in many districts.
In 2017, the BJD had managed to form zilla parishad in 20 districts as the opposition BJP and Congress had formed zilla parishad in eight and two districts respectively. In 2012, BJD had formed zilla parishads in 28 districts leaving two to Congress.
In the recently-concluded panchayat polls, the BJD had won 765 of total 851 zilla parishad seats, where elections were held recently. Earlier it had won one seat uncontested.
“BJD sources said victory of party candidates in the zilla parishad president polls is the result of immense faith of the voters in the strong leadership of chief minister Naveen Patnaik,” said BJD member Munna Khan.
The party has chosen young, educated and tech-savvy persons without any criminal cases as zilla parishad presidents.
While the average age of all the zilla parishad presidents is 41 years, BJD sources said as many as 15 of the 30 districts have zilla parishad president below the age of 40 years and 23 of the 30 districts (76%) have zilla parishad presidents below the age 50 years.
As many as 18 zilla parishad presidents have completed graduation while eight others have completed at least intermediate level of education, said BJD sources.
Even as there is statutory provision of reservation of 50% of seats for women in the panchayati raj institutions, the chief minister has chosen women in 21 districts to head the zilla parishads, which is also a first in panchayat polls.
To expedite the development process in Swabhiman Anchal (erstwhile cut-off area in Malkangiri district), the BJD selected 26-year-old Samari Tangul from Swabhiman Anchal as the zilla parishad president of the district. She has studied till intermediate level (plus-II).
Similarly, 23-year-old Saraswarti Majhi has been elected as the zilla parishad president of Rayagada district. She has completed her graduation.
In accordance with party’s announcement to provide at least 40% seats to the candidates belonging to backward classes, the BJD had picked as many as 12 OBC candidates (including some women) to head the zilla parishads out of the total 18 unreserved seats. The panchayat election was held without providing any statutory quota to OBC candidates.