Tag Archives: Sonepur
Maoists eye Sonepur
With security forces intensifying combing operation in Kandhamal district, armed Maoists have reportedly entered Sonepur through Boudh creating panic among the people.
Reports said 40 to 50 armed cadres, including women, visited Jharbahali-Pipalkanta village near Mankadbahal under Chadeipank gram panchayat and held a meeting on Sunday, their second over last two days.
The Maoists inquired about their welfare and problems and asked them to fight for their legitimate rights.
The Maoists reportedly had held two woodcutters captive for more than five hours and questioned them about PRI members and routes to Sambalpur. They also took away SIMs from their mobiles.
It is learnt that they are also fanning out to nearby villages and simultaneously interacting with people before converging at a point.
Reports of Maoists’ movement have also been received from Ranisarda forest near Menda village and meetings are slated to be held here late on Sunday.
As the district provides them gateway to Kandhamal via Boudh besides Sambalpur, Balangir, Nuapada and Kalahandi to down south, the Maoists are believed to have decided on spreading their wings in the district which had remained out of their bounds till now.
Confirmed sources said, the inability of the Maoists to expand their base beyond Sambalpur has forced them to rejig their strategy. And under the new strategy, they made their presence felt in Mayurbhanj before moving to Sonepur.
The Maoists have found Birmaharajpur sub-division with good green cover and deprived of basic amenities, a soft target.
Relief for Congress, BJP in Sambalpur
Although the BJD swept the recently concluded Zilla Parishad (ZP) polls, it is a mixed bag in the election to block chairman posts held on Sunday. Candidates of the three major parties shared honours across western Odisha bringing some relief for Congress and BJP.
In Sambalpur district, of the nine blocks, chairman candidates were elected unopposed in five while BJD-supported candidates won in three and Congress candidate won in one block. Congress, BJP and BJD-backed candidates won in three blocks each.
In Naktideul and Dhankauda blocks, Congress candidates Annapurna Pradhan and Haripriya Suna were declared elected uncontested while in Kuchinda, Maneswar and Bamra Blocks, BJP candidates Kishore Naik, Pabitra Mahanand and Pushpanjali Dharua were elected unopposed respectively. In Jamankira block, it was a close fight between BJD-backed candidate Jemadei Mjahi, wife of former BJD Kuchinda MLA Brundaban Majhi, and Tulsa Gond of Congress. While Jemadei bagged 11 votes, Tulsa secured 10. In Rengali block Congress candidate Jyotirmayi Biswal garnered nine votes against five bagged by BJD rebel Padmini Behera.
However, in Rairakhol block, it was a fight between the BJD-supported candidate Pradip Pradhan and BJD rebel Pradip Agrawal. While Pradhan got nine votes, rebel Agrawal secured five votes.
Nuapada: The BJD-backed candidates won in three out of the five block chairman posts in the district while the Congress opened its account in Khariar and Sinapali blocks. The BJD-backed candidates were elected from Nuapada, Komna and Boden blocks.
Except for Bhagatram Majhi, the BJD-backed candidate who won from Nuapada block and was the sitting Sarpanch of Kendubahara gram panchayat, all other candidates are novices and will hold office for the first time.
Jharsuguda: After the huge setback in the ZP polls, the BJD which was in control of Laikera, Kirmira and Lakhanpur blocks surrendered to the Congress in the election to block chairman posts.
Congress had a sway over the blocks with two of its candidates, Binodini Patel and Nalini Kisan being declared elected unopposed from Kolabira and Kirmira respectively. In Laikera block, three members abstained from voting giving Congress’ Jogendra Naik? a clear majority with six votes against two bagged by BJD’s Tirtha Kisan. Congress nominees also trounced their opponents in Jharsuguda and Lakhanpur blocks.
Deogarh: After a clean sweep in the recently held ZP election, the BJD continued its feat in the election to the posts of block chairman.
Its candidates, Damayanti Sahu and Bilasini Naik were elected unopposed in Riamal and Tileibani blocks respectively. This apart, BJD-supported candidate Debendra Behera defeated BJP’s Arun Sahu by seven votes in Dharakote block.
Meanwhile, 10 panchayat samiti members of Tileibani block joined the BJD.
Sonepur: The BJD continued its winning streak here by clinching six block chairman posts. While the party nominees were elected unopposed from Binka, Dungripali and Tarbha blocks, they managed an easy win in Birmaharajpurm and Ulunda blocks. It was a close fight in Sonepur block with BJD’s Dinesh Agrawal winning by one vote.
