Bhubaneswar, Feb. 26 -- First 34 and later one more place in Odisha was accorded the Notified Area Council (NAC) status. Birmaharajpur town in Sonepur district got the NAC status on Monday. However, there seems to be no let-up in the ongoing agitations that have been continuing at places that have been excluded from the list of 35 new NACs in the state.

From observing bandhs to protests and even poll boycott threats, the agitators in different parts of the state are trying to vent out their anger. The situation is such that people are blaming local MLAs for such partiality in granting NAC status. Under such circumstances, will the NAC announcement boomerang for the ruling BJD as it is said it has been done eyeing the upcoming elections....