Pressing for a 14-point charter of demands, including security and recognition to the age-old Mahendragiri hills as a tourist destination, over 40,000 villagers belonging to 10 gram panchayats of Rayagarh block here have decided to boycott vote in the ensuing elections.
It has been alleged that the villagers of Jiranga, Kainpur, laxmipur, Mandal Sahi, Dambala, Kerandi, Gangabada, S Karadasing, lailai and Talamunda gram panchayats are deprived of basic amenities and are facing various problems despite complaints made by them with the appropriate authorities several times.
At long last, they have decided to go for vote boycott.The other demands of the villagers include opening of arts and commerce branch of Jiranga College, construction of permanent road to Mahendragiri, development of Rashibada Ghati, straight road from Jiranga to Rayagarh and provision of electricity to the BPl families of the region under the Biju Gramya Jyoti Yojana, etc, informed Mahendranchal Jana Jagaran Mancha convener Prafulla Kumar Mohanty.