Mounesh Vishwakarma

Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (EP)

Bantwal, Feb 18: A total of 99 candidates have remained in the fray for 34 seats of Pudu gram panchayat elections as per Taluk election office sources. One nomination was rejected during the examination of 103 nominations. Three candidates out of 102 withdrew their nominations on Friday.

As many as 34 candidates are Congress supported, 32 are BJP supported, 28 candidates belong to SDPI and five candidates have submitted their nominations as independents. The election officer has already distributed their election symbols.

Elections for Pudu gram panchayat will be held on Feb 25. The highest numbers of nominations were filed this time. Election heat has picked up. Candidates are allowed to campaign for a week from Saturday. It is said that all the political leaders will take the elections as a matter of prestige and will be stationed in the vicinity of Farangipete as Vidhan Sabha elections are approaching.

BJP party leaders are campaigning putting forth the administrative failures in Pudu gram panchayat during the last five years, neglect of the panchayat by Mangaluru MLA and the achievements of the union and state governments. A Congress MLA and the party leaders speak about the development in Pudu gram panchayat limits during the last five years. SDPI leaders are campaigning putting forth the failures of both the national parties. Besides campaigning during house visits the candidates are using social networks for their campaigns.