ASIFABAD: General voters in tribal areas of Adilabad district display their characteristic reticence towards panchayat raj elections for which campaigning ended on Monday.

They are worried about pressing activities like agriculture. Nevertheless, any question regarding the extent of their reluctance to participate in the elections will be answered only on the polling day.

Campaigning has turned villages into places with lots of activity as groups of cadres of respective political parties or those owing allegiance to individual candidates are wooing voters with assurances.

Political activity is rather subdued in the interior villages while it is more visible on main roads like the one connecting Utnoor with Asifabad.

Discussing `issues'

When faced with questions on `issues' being discussed in these elections, voters in different mandals exhibited the same expression of boredom.

Promises are being by contestants to sanction more houses, provide drinking water facility in concerned villages or increase connectivity of the village by laying more roads.

Though the villagers are alive to the price rise issue, they are `understanding' enough not to question the contestants because inflation was out of their purview.

Sapta Nagesh, a pan shop owner at Booruguda in Asifabad mandal, points out: "Perugutunna dharalu gurinchi maakemi teliyadu ani antaru (The candidates will say we do not know anything about rising prices)."

Playing it safe

"Even if we question them on rising prices, you think they will tell anything.

They will simply wash their hands by saying the issue rests with big guns at Government level," says Atram Bhim of Kothari Kothaguda in Kerameri mandal.

Similar is the opinion of Gedam Maruti of Pochamloddi in Jainoor mandal. He doesn't want to waste his energy by discussing issues with politicians.

"Vote tarvata veellu kanapadaru, yem adigina labham ledu (They are not to be seen after elections. There is no use in asking anything from them)," says Maruti, a Gond tribal.

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