Police said the incident happened in Kora village near here yesterday bringing under sharp focus a disturbing trend in this politically-sensitive coastal district.

Sarat Sahu (25), a daily wage earner, was not pulling on well with his father Surendra Sahu on poll-related issues.

He had asked his father to support and vote in favour of his favourite candidate, but Surendra did not relent.

Dejected over it, Sarat consumed pesticide to end life, police said.

The panchayat polls brought a sharp divide in a number of families with candidates locked in battle against their own blood.

"It is disturbing to note that family ties have got severed following contest between own blood relatives. Besides members of families hold divergent support as far as casting their franchise is concerned," quipped Nabaghana Nayak, a former Panchayat samity chairman of Garadapur block.

There were stray cases of similar nature in past polls also. But this time, it has become more pronounced.

While mother is fighting it out against her daughter, siblings, close relatives are locked in direct poll battle in some of the gram panchayat and panchayat samity zones.