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Panchayat members resign following threat

BERHAMPUR: Maoists have started to show up their fangs to make their presence felt during the coming elections.

A sarpanch and seven ward members of a panchayat in Rayagada district rendered their resignation following naxal threat. These elected local body members were from Rasakola panchayat of Bisamkatak block of this naxal infested district. Some 15 days back the sarpanch, Radhika Hikabadi was threatened through letters and posters. The seven ward members of the panchayat also received similar threats.

Two days ago Radhika’s husband Bharat Hikabadi was ruthlessly beaten up by a group of naxals who rounded him up at the village. This attack triggered off the resignation spree in the panchayat. The sarpanch and her seven ward members handed over their resignations to the additional Block Development Officer of the block. Bharat was earlier the sarpanch of the same panchayat. He got his wife elected to the post when it was reserved for women during last panchayat polls. According to sources naxals alleged that the elected members of the panchayat were involved in corrupt practices at the behest of Bharat. But the incident hinted at the clout of naxals in hinterland politics in south Orissa.

Even the leaders of main stream political parties like the BJD MLA of Pottangi in Koraput district and Jayaran Pangi have started to acknowledge naxal clout in their south Orissa. Mr. Pangi tried to woo voters by trying to equate the BJD with the naxal organisation at a public meeting in Koraput district which was also attended by the Chief Minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik.

According to him the BJD-led government was like the naxals as it was also fighting against corruption and working for the poor. He even urged the naxals to realise the pro-poor developmental efforts of the State government and come to support them. It was Pangi’s effort to create some impact in the minds of the tribals as he may have felt naxals had good clout over the tribals.

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