Odisha Govt's apathy sparks row in district
Taking advantage of the callousness of the Odisha Government, its Andhra Pradesh counterpart opened polling booths in the bordering Kotia panchayat in Koraput district for the Vizianagaram lok Sabha and Salur Assembly seats, for which elections were held on Wednesday.
Expressing resentment and anger over the gross apathy of the Odisha Government and the district administration for its inaction over the issue, a number of local organisations have threatened a massive agitation over this development.
According to reports, the AP Government opened polling booths at Neredi Kothavalasa village, where people of 21 disputed villages cast their votes.
It may be mentioned that the Odisha Government had also not set up polling booths at Neredi Kothavalasa in Kotia panchayat in the 2009 general elections on the plea that cases on the disputed villages of the panchayat were subjudice.
On the other hand, the AP Government had set up polling booths at Sarke and Tamana, where people of these 21 villages had cast their votes in the last Assembly elections in that State.
later, the AP Government had also opened booths at Phagunasineri, Ganjeipadar, Mahipani and Doliamba villages of Kotia panchayat during its panchayat elections.
The Odisha Government had set up polling booths at Kotia, Ganjeipadar, Phagunasineri, Madkar, Doliamba and Mahipani villages under Kotia panchayat in the first phase of the 2014 general elections in April 10 this year. Barring Madkar, polling was peaceful in the remaining booths.
In the 2009 elections, the Odisha Government had opened nine booths while in the panchayat elections in 2012 it had opened 12 booths in Kotia panchayat.
However, the setting up of polling booths by the Andhra Government in the eighth phase of the 2014 general elections at Neredi Kothavalasa for the voters of 21 villages of Kotia panchayat has triggered widespread resentment among the people in Koraput district.
When asked about the issue, Koraput Collector Yamini Sarangi reportedly said she has directed the BDO of Pottangi for investigation into it. After the report is received from the BDO, the State Government would be apprised of the matter, she added.