Kothagudem: Officials visit adivasi habitation as residents threaten to boycott polls

Officials said a majority of residents of the gram panchayat told them that they would vote in the elections and that the banner was displayed by some outsiders settled in the habitation.

Kothagudem: With a section of residents of Garimellapadu habitation under Prashanti Nagar gram panchayat in Chunchupalli mandal in the district decided to boycott the Lok Sabha elections, police, revenue and election officials visited the village on Thursday to look into the issue.

It was said that some of the adivasi residents of the habitation displayed a flex banner on an electricity pole on the Kothagudem-Vijayawada highway a few days ago swearing that they would not vote in the elections as officials and government deceived them by not addressing their issues. Kothagudem DSP Abdul Raheman, RDO Madhu and other officials visited the village on Thursday and questioned the residents why they wanted to boycott the polls. Officials said a majority of residents of the gram panchayat told them that they would vote in the elections and that the banner was displayed by some outsiders settled in the habitation.

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This led to heated arguments between two groups. Prashanti Nagar residents Yerraiah, Jogaiah and others accused the residents of Garimellapadu of bringing bad reputation to the gram panchayat. The officials pacified them and advised them to vote in the elections.

Later the flexi banner was removed by the officials while assuring the adivasis that their issues would be addressed soon.