Panchayat election: 80 seats go uncontested

KORAPUT: With 80 of its supported candidates declared winners unopposed, Chasi Muliya Adivasi Sangha (CMAS) seems to be in the driver’s seat in Narayanapatna block.The winners include eight sarpanches, seven samiti members, 65 ward members and a zilla parishad member. The block comprises nine panchayats represented by nine sarpanches and nine samiti members.  The  Congress and BJD had withdrawn their nominees for Narayanapatna Zilla Parishad segment where a woman candidate, Juru Mohuka was declared winner uncontested.No nominations were  filed for 34 ward member posts.Elections will now be held at Kumbhari and Bijaghati panchayats for samiti members and at Narayanapatna block headquarters with two candidates in the fray for the sarpanch post.Sources said samiti member Malati Tadingi, who was declared winner from Padapadar panchayat, is a frontrunner for the post of chairperson of the block.