No candidates: Fresh nominations on January 20

NAYAGARH: The battle lines have been drawn with 99 candidates, including 18 independents, in the fray for the panchayat polls in the district after six candidates withdrew nominations on Wednesday. While BJD, Congress and BJP have fielded candidates in 24 zones of the 24-member zilla parishad, CPM has fielded six candidates, BSP two and Kalinga Sena one.CPM will fight from 21,22 and 23 zones in Ranpur block, zone 11 in Dasapalla, zone 15 in Nayagarh and zone three in Odagaon block. BSP will try its luck in zone nine in Daspalla and zone 16 in Nuagaon. There is a lone Kalinga Sena candidate in zone 15 of Nayagarh block. Elections will be held in five phases in the district. Daspalla and Gania will go to polls on February 11, Nayagarh and Nuagaon on February 13, Khandapada and Bhapur on February 15, Odagaon on February 17 and voting will be held at Ranpur on February 19. People will cast votes simultaneously for the posts of zilla parishad, sarpanch, samiti member and ward member. There are 180 gram panchayats and 2,934 wards in the district. However, no nominations were received for 163 ward member posts. Fresh nominations will be called for the vacant posts on January 20.