Bhubaneswar: With the date of the Panchayat election in Odisha is getting nearer, candidates contesting are putting all their best efforts to impress the voters. Still, there are some voters in the most interior parts of the State who have made their minds, not to be fooled by any political parties or their deceptions further. With everlasting deceptions and false promises by the politicians these voters have lost faith and hope, resulting in them abandoning the Panchayat elections completely. To mention in particular, Karanjasahi village, which was coming under Chhelabada Panchayat earlier under R Udayagiri Block in Gajapati district, later has been included with Dabaraguda Panchayat 2016. From that time, the inhabitants of Karanjasahi village have been facing difficulties in reaching and approaching their panchayat office. The people in that village have to travel a long distance to reach the Panchayat office. Hence, ever since they have been demanding to again include the village under Chhelabada Panchayat. But the administration is not giving any note to their demand, so in this current fury of panchayat polls, the villagers have made their mind to drop off the franchise. One of the villagers said, if the demand of putting our village in the Chhelabada Panchayat, we have vowed to boycott every election. Similarly, people in the Pakatmunda village of Bam Panchayat under the Kankadahada Block in the Dhenkanal district have also committed to refrain from suffrage. All the villagers in this locality have promised by assembling at the village to abandon the panchayat election. This village consists of a population of more than 100 tribal families, which have vowed not to cast until their road connectivity issue is resolved. We are at the end of our tether. There is no proper road connectivity, mobile network facility to our village so we are facing utter difficulties throughout. The political parties and leaders are only being shown during elections, only giving false promises but no solution to our miseries. Therefore we have collectively decided not to participate in the election, voiced the villagers. Furthermore, the people residing in the Padapadar village of Jalahanjar Panchayat under the Lamataput Block in the Koraput district have pledged not to take part in the forthcoming panchayat election. They claimed of not having access to potable drinking water and are deprived of proper road connectivity. This is why they have to encounter a lot of problems in case of a medical emergency. As per the villager’s excerpt, all the political leaders have been visiting the village and only giving hoax assurances. But this time we have vowed not to be fooled by them further. We will participate in the franchise only if our issues are resolved. Likewise, the people dwelling in the Phundaguda village of Giriligumma Panchayat under Dasamantapur Block in the Koraput district are no better off either. As the village is encompassed by chains hills and dense forests, the people there are deprived of mobile connections and demanding this facility since along. They professed that they have already conveyed this grievance to the local MLA, district Collector and block development officer (BDO), but there is no sign of result as yet. The enraged villagers sloganed, “No tower, no power…no vote”.
-OdishaAge
