MANGALDAI, Feb 6 � The total number of candidates left in the fray for the polls to the Mangaldai Municipal Board in Darrang district stands at 44 after the last date of withdrawal. On the other hand, at the Kharupetia Town Committee, the only other civic body in the district, with the withdrawal of nominations by three Independent candidates, the total number of candidates has come down to 42. All the three candidates, who withdrew from the polls, are women. Two of them are from Ward No. 6 and the other one is from Ward No. 2.
At the Mangaldai Municipal Board consisting of 10 wards, a total of 18,768 voters are going to exercise their franchise. At the Kharupetia Town Committee covering eight wards, the total voters have been recorded as 13,592.
Meanwhile, candidates from different political parties started their election campaigns immediately after their nominations were found valid on January 30. It may be mentioned here that 16 Independent candidates are contesting in the Mangaldai Municipal Board, while the figure of Independent candidates for the Kharupetia Town Committee stands at 22.
