Why Some Residents in Jagdalpur Constituency Have Given Call for Boycotting Elections?

Election boycott calls in the tribal state of Chattisgarh are not just limited to Naxals anymore. After the Pando tribe, the residents of Aman Nagar in the central Jagdalpur constituency have announced that they will boycott the elections over development issues.

Aman Nagar and Mohan Nagar, residential areas with around 12,000 voters have put up notices outside their houses appealing the political aspirants to not come to them begging for votes.

“After facing the government’s negligence and dealing with development issues, the step was taken in a bid that the municipal corporation and local administrative authorities will wake up and do some work but nothing so far has been done,” said Man Mohan Pal, a local resident of Mohan Nagar.

Pal who retired from the post of assistant manager at State Bank of India further added, “The politicians in Bastar are shameless and even after putting up the election boycott notices, they have come here numerous times to convince the voters.”

“The area is suffering from the problem of drainage, cleanliness, street lights and many civic problems but no one in the last five years ever tried to pay heed towards our problem even after we are paying our taxes on time. We have decided not to vote because it will fill their (politicians) pockets and is good for nothing to us,” Pal said.   

Interestingly, a major portion of the voters here are government employees and both the areas are counted in the posh areas of Bastar city.

Anand Srivastava, an accountant at India Post said that he has been running from pillar to post for the last five years seeking relief from a sewer problem at his home but no one ever looked up to his complaints.

“I must have written close to 50 applications or more but it seems like they all landed in dustbins. No one ever cared to look at them and listen to our problems. If they do not have time for us then we too do not have time to go out and vote. They say that our colony is illegal but then the amount of registry and all the taxes that we pay go to state exchequer. How can our colony be illegal?,” Srivastava asked.

Residents caught in Power-play between BJP and Congress

On questioning Mohan Nagar ward councillor Saurabh Pal on this issue, he said that the problems of residents are very genuine and it is their right to protest against the government’s apathy.

“Yes, there has not been a single work done in both the wards in the last five years. Despite being the elected representative, I am helpless because no one listens to me. I am an independent candidate and the Mayor of the city comes from the Congress while the sitting MLA is from the BJP,” he said, adding that he was approached by both the parties to take party membership but the people of his ward are being made to suffer for his denial to join any party.  

When Newsclick approached Jatin Jaiswal, the city Mayor from the Congress, he said, “I am very well aware about the problem being faced by the residents and it is not that the municipal corporation does not want to work but how can we go and work there when the matter of legality of the colony is pending in the court. Once the court gives its judgement then we will go and solve all the problems.”

It should also be mentioned that the Election commission of India conducts several programmes to raise awareness among voters for good turnout but in these areas, it has failed drastically in convincing the voters.

Security Forces to Face Toughest Election in Bastar division

Security personnels armed with rifles patrolling on foot, motorcycles and even on jeeps are a common sight in the Naxal-hit Bastar division of Chattisgarh.

Ahead of the first phase of polling for 12 Vidhan Sabha seats in Bastar, the movements of the security forces have increased with more checking and vigilance.

On one hand, conducting polling without any kind of violence or bloodshed in itself has become a major challenge for the security forces and the Election Commission as Naxals, who hold dominance in this region, have made a call to boycott the elections and are continuously releasing orders to the forest dwellers, farmers and tribals to not to vote or be ready to get their fingers chopped.

On the other hand, the election boycott by the common people indicate how people are forced to resort to this last call as a result of their frustration with the government.