Poll promises are part of rhetoric here. For the tribals in the Rampachodavaram agency area, once a stronghold of the Naxals comprising 11 mandals, there is a mild hope that change is possible through electoral process.

For the seven dominant tribes voting makes no difference and they believe that the divide and rule policy of the British is still being played by the local administration. Ranging from issue of caste certificates to roads, the R&R package for the land lost and the right over cultivation of their land, the communities are marginalised over the decades, according to local leaders. Problems persist irrespective of the party and leadership, they say.

Daragadda upa-sarpanch hailing from the Valmiki community G. Jagapathi from Y. Ramavaram mandal says most of the villages in the Tribal Sub-Plan upper areas have no proper roads and communication facilities. "The government facilitated telephones through the AP-fiber-net soon after the Chaparai water contamination incident, which claimed 21 people, but it worked for just four days. Our road was laid some 30 years ago. Repeated promises by leaders during elections meant nothing." He says the officials are pitching the Konda Reddys, Valmikis, Koya Doras, Konda Kammaras, Bhagathas, Konda Kapus and the Konda Doras against one another as the Britishers did.

Several youth remain unemployed and confine themselves to homes due to inordinate delay in and sometimes denial of caste certificates. Politics plays a major role, according to the locals. In fact, sitting MLA Vantala Rajeswari (elected as the YSR Congress candidate but shifted to the TDP) earlier said there were more than 3,000 educated youth, mostly girls, who could not get employment due to lack of certificates. It’s still a burning issue and the elders are worried that the educated youth may take a wrong route. The aspiring candidates are asked by the officials to provide documents since 1956 to prove their ST status.

People from far off areas from mandal headquarters will have to travel over 60 km to access health centre and water. "These are the recurring problems and we get to hear all rhetorical statements from politicians and when we are done with polls, it’s just another day where we are forced to face the harsh reality," says B. Ramana Reddy (Konda Reddy community), a resident of Kundada in Maredumilli mandal.

There are also complaints of harassment by forest officials and bureaucrats who are also accused of using loopholes in the Integrated Tribal Development Agency to siphon off funds to the tune of few crores of rupees and usurp tribal land.