Bhubaneswar, April 7 (IANS) Thousands of forest dwellers and tribals in Odisha have threatened to boycott the assembly and Lok Sabha polls to protest the government's apathy towards them, officials said Monday.
The outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoists has also put up posters urging people to boycott the polls in four southern districts of Koraput, Rayagada, Kalahandi and Kandhamal where balloting will be held April 10.
At least 10,000 tribal voters in Kandhamal district have announced they will not vote this time because they have been deprived of basic facilities like roads, electricity, education, drinking water and health care, a senior district polling official told IANS.
These voters live in Kandhamal Lok Sabha constituency and Phulbani assembly constituency area, he said.
Similarly, member of the Konda Reddy community who live in the state's Maoist-hit Malkangiri district have put up posters at various places announcing the boycott of the polls as the government is yet to give them tribal status.
"They have announced this by putting up posters in their region," District Superintendent of Police Akhileswar Singh told IANS.
Malkangiri will also go to polls April 10.
The Konda Reddy community also boycotted the polls in 2009 general elections, he said.
About 25,000 people of the community live in the state, while another lakh of them stay across the border in Andhra Pradesh where they are recognised as a tribal community.
An official with the state's election office said the concerned districts have been directed to create awareness among the voters so that they come out in large number and exercise their franchise.
Polling for 21 Lok Sabha seats from Odisha and the 147-member state assembly would be simultaneously held April 10 and 17.
Rohit was a waste of talent four years back: Dhoni
Melbourne, March 19 (IANS) Indian skipper Mahendra Singh said on Thursday that comparing opener
Lightning, crop loss claim four lives in UP
Agra, March 30 (IANS) Two people were killed by lightning and two others died of shock as unsea
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that India has the potential to lead the world's four
Raunak disappeared from the markets that were buzzing till late night
In the market of the Nawabs, Lucknow, which used to stay in the market till late night, now there
Claim: Manoj Bajpayee got Rs 10 crore for The Family Man 2, know what the rest of the stars got?
The most awaited web series which everyone was waiting for a long time has been released recently
Amarinder's open letter to Modi on 'criminalised' politics
Amritsar, April 24 (IANS) Congress candidate from Amritsar Amarinder Singh Thursday asked BJP l
I am not a missing MP, says Ajay Maken
New Delhi, April 8 (IANS) Ajay Maken, sitting Congress MP from New Delhi Lok Sabha seat, is giv
Maharashtra Political Crisis: Amidst the political ruckus in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Uddhav T
China has made a big bet to suppress the protest of Uygar Muslims in Xinjiang province. To elimin
Monkeypox cases are increasing rapidly in Europe, but US President Joe Biden does not currently f
