The second phase of polling in Palamu was hectic today. It was a tense moment. It had racy moments. Even there was even a watch from the sky!
The first episode was of anger and frustration. It was over the relocation of the booth.
Palamu administration had relocated 83 booths in the second phase, 23 booths more than the first phase relocation.
Voters of Kokro village refrained from voting for one and a half hours today in the second phase of polling in Palamu at Akwaniya booth.
The villagers were upset over the relocation of their booth from Kokro to Akwaniya. They said it was a big bad deal for them.
They had only one demand. It was the restoration of their Kokro booth and only then they would opt to vote. Sources said the demand could not have been met at all. The polling party was at the Akwaniya booth.
It was the most intricate situation for the Palamu administration. All pleas and exhortations by the administration for taking part in the voting were trashed by the voters there.
They just wanted restoration of the Kokro booth. They refused to pay any heed to the block officials. Panic button was on. Everyone knew what consequences it would have if Kokro voters did not cast their votes.
Sources said the SP Palamu Chandan Kumar Sinha came to know about it. He rushed there and made a very smart psychological move.
"Voters are assured by me, your SP, from next time your Kokro booth will not be relocated. This booth will not be shifted at all," he said.
The SP also said all of you would be voting at their village based booth Kokro in all the hustings that will come.
Sources said the SP addressed the women voters first who were more vocal about not to vote at all. Their men were just nodding in their affirmation.
It did wonders like anything. The voters who were sitting in anger and making faces just stood up and queued up to cast their votes. And they did cast their votes. The tension was gone. Everyone had a word of praise for SP Chandan kr Sinha who defused the crisis so smoothly.
Sinha said he did not make any argument as to why this Kokro booth was relocated. It would not have broken the ice. Arguments would have boomeranged upon the officials. It could have led to a version and counter version.
The SP said he started with no relocation of this booth next time and it was cheered and hailed by the voters instantly.
He said he made no mistake about reading the mood and mind of the angry voters.
The voters wanted to be soothed with no further relocation assurance and as SP said he just played to their sentiments and they liked it.
In another major development Chhaterpur police in Palamu today recovered two loaded desi kattas, seized three four wheelers and arrested 4 persons.
The SP said the kattas, the vehicles and the men all were for the polling today but their mission was foiled by our vigilant police force.
Sources said the men and machine were for two contestants, one a zila parishad candidate, the other a mukhiya candidate.
There were drones too, first of its kind in the panchayat elections in Palamu. SP said the drones were flown over the most rough and tough terrain of Chhatarpur and Naudiha police stations today.
He said the drones were having sky watch of locations which are on the foothills and the look and the surroundings are eerie.