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Friday, Apr 17, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Enthusiastic turnout by Girijan voters

Santosh Patnaik

Tribals wait long to vote, despite poll boycott call by Maoisists

No voting from Maoist strongholds like Thotamamidi, Chipurabanduram and other hamlets
In some cases, entire villages reportedly omitted from list after delimitation

—Photo: K.R. Deepak

Matter of right: Tribal women form a serpentine queue to cast their vote in the first phase of polling for Assembly and Lok Sabha at Lothugedda in Chintapalle mandal, an interior area under the grip of Maoists, about 150 km from Visakhapatnam.

CHINTAPALLE: Tremendous enthusiasm marked voting by tribals in several areas in 11 Agency mandals in Visakhapatnam district on Thursday despite the poll boycott call by the Maoists.

Tribals waited for long hours for their turn to vote from early hours. In some places in Maoist strongholds like Darakonda, A. Annavaram and Koyyuru, barricading was done to enable the tribals to vote in an orderly manner.

By 1 p.m., 35 per cent polling was recorded. It swelled to 50 plus at Chintapalle by 1 p.m. Returning Officer and Revenue Divisional Officer (Paderu) K.R.D. Prasada Rao said, “We are very happy with the encouraging response from the voters.”

Muktha Korra (50) of Mohanaravu village in this mandal, a Gadaba belonging to primitive tribal group, said it was a common practice for them to take part in vote as it was their birth right.

There was no voting from Maoist strongholds like Thotamamidi, Chipurabanduram and other hamlets in GK Veedhi. Lakshmaiah, a polling agent at GK Veedhi blamed the revenue officials for deletion of several names from the voters’ list. He said in some cases, total villages were omitted from the list as part of delimitation.

Sridhari Chinna Rao, a Kodhu and PTG, was found going disappointed leading a group of 30 voters from Katuveedhi to RV Nagar after they found their names missing at a polling station at Ebulam. “Last time we had voted at Ebulam. We are going to RV Nagar on being told that our names might be included at RV Nagar,” he said.

Vantala Bujjibabu, 42, of Kothabandha said 30 names out of 60 people from his village were missing.

Fear was palpable all over the agency notwithstanding heavy deployment of police and paramilitary forces. Mobile strike forces were on the job at sensitive and hypersensitive areas. RTC bus service was suspended.

Makala Satyanarayana, whose wife Chandrakala is a Congress MPTC, said a woman’s photo was put in the voters list in his place though his photo identity card was OK. He could vote only after he produced his ration card at GK Veedhi.

Radha, wife of Congress candidate for Paderu Assembly segment, said due to callous attitude of the officials, names were found missing at various polling booths. She said despite threat from Maoists, the tribals voted at various booths in large numbers.

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