He said 5,239 candidates were in the fray for 358 sarpanch and 1,652 panch seats,
while 96 Sarpanchs and 1,437 panchs have already been
elected unopposed in this phase.
Last year, when I was
travelling through areas of Kharsia, Jashpur, Bundeli and Mahasamund, Sarpanchs of several panchayats gave me in writing that we would not
allow the burning of effigies of Ravana and Mahishasur.