Poll brawl between Odisha and AP in Kotia  

JEYPORE/KORAPUT:  Andhra Pradesh went ahead with its mandal and zilla parishad elections in Koraput’s Kotia on Thursday amid high drama as both officials and politicians of Odisha and the neighbouring State engaged in heated exchange of words over polling in the disputed panchayat. Only 17 per cent polling was reported from Kotia. 

As soon as the voting process started, AP police made arrangements to transport voters of Kotia to the polling station but were confronted by members of the all-party team of Koraput including Jeypore MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati. A heated exchange ensued between AP police and Odisha leaders which lasted for an hour. In Dhulipadar, officials of Koraput and Parvathipuram in AP’s Vizianagaram district engaged in a similar stand-off when the latter tried to enter Odisha jurisdiction to persuade people to participate in voting. Odisha officials informed their AP counterparts that as the area has been declared a containment zone, they should obey Covid guidelines and turn back.

But the AP officials did not agree and tried to force their way into the village with help of police. However, only a few officials could manage to enter.  At some other places, there were reports of tussle between Odisha police and members of Dora community over polling.  Meanwhile, Koraput district administration claimed that only 17 per cent polling was reported from Kotia. A few persons of Neredivalasa cast their votes while others in Kotia refrained from polling. 

Koraput Collector Md Abdaal Akhtar said, “Despite hectic efforts of AP officials, only 17 per cent people turned up for voting in Kotia. This could be achieved due to the efforts of political leaders and people of Koraput.” Thanking leaders and people for supporting the Kotia cause, the Collector said the administration will continue to carry out development works in the disputed panchayat.

Koraput district president of BJD Iswar Chandra Panigrahi, who was a part of the all-party team, said residents of Kotia cooperated with Odisha leaders and boycotted the AP polls. Out of 1,291 voters, only 223 persons of Dora community participated in the polls. The entire administrative machinery of AP’s Vizianagaram district put in their efforts but only managed to convince 223 persons of Kotia, he said.
Sources said Vizianagaram SP B Rajlaxmi, Parvathipuram PA, ITDA K Nath, Salur tehsildar Srinivash Rao and returning officer Madhusdan were camping in Kotia to convince people to vote in the polls.

The AP administration had set up a polling booth at Neredivalasa for villagers of Tal Ganjeipadar, Dhulipadar, Tal Sembi, Uppar Sembi and Kotia.  “Leaders of BJD, BJP and Congress were camping in Kotia to dissuade villagers from participating in the AP election which was held near Neredivalasa.

Honouring the feelings of the leaders, not a singe tribal from Kotia territory exercised their franchise in the polls,” Panigrahi said. The 223 persons participated in the elections on the plea that the Dora community has been given the tribal status in AP.  On Wednesday, the Koraput district administration had clamped section 144 in Kotia and declared Neridivalasa and Dhulipadar as containment zones after four positive cases were reported from the area. 

Ganjam voters take part in Andhra elections
Berhampur: Despite the efforts of Ganjam district administration to refrain people from participating in the AP polls, residents of bordering villages under Patrapur block exercised their franchise in the elections on Thursday. Residents of Kuladi and Satapuri villages under Tumba panchayat cast their votes in the polling booth at Sanakrishna village in AP. Similarly, Odisha voters of S Balarampur village under Buratal panchayat participated in the polls in AP’s Tulasigaon. Residents of Saradhapur also voted at Lodhaputi in AP. However, residents of Gudikhala village in Gajapati’s Gangabada panchayat did not participate in the polls.