Kotia panchayat elections poses fresh challenge for Andhra Pradesh govt

The Andhra Pradesh government is set to face a fresh challenge in conducting the panchayat elections in the Kotia group of villages, along the AP-Odisha border, following disruption to Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituency (ZPTC) and Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituency (MPTC) segments a few weeks ago.

Odisha officials have reportedly not allowed the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) to campaign in several villages, including Ganjaibhadra, Pagaluchennuru, Pattuchennuru and other places. Election campaigning was reportedly seen only in Sarika, Kurukuttu and other villages close to the Andhra Pradesh border.

The Odisha officials have reportedly also taken MPTC candidates from Ganajibhadra into their custody, leading to protests among Telugu Desam Part (TDP) and YSR Congress Party (YESRCP) leaders in the region. With Odisha objecting to the local body elections, the AP government shifted polling booths in several places. The polling percentage in the ZPTC and MPTC elections was only 34%. In this background, conducting the panchayat elections is a herculean task for the Andhra Pradesh government.

Former Deputy Chief Minister Peedika Rajanna Dora on Sunday asked the State government to conduct elections in the Kotia group of villages, alleging that it had failed to hold ZPTC and MPTC elections in crucial villages of the Kotia cluster.

Speaking to media, Mr. Rajanna Dora said that the then YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government had conducted elections fearlessly in spite of heavy deployment of Odisha police personnel in the Kotia group of villages.

He said that it was the responsibility of the AP government to conduct the elections and prove its geographical jurisdiction over the villages which were allocated to A.P. as per the States Reorganisation Act-1956.

“The Chandrababu Naidu-led NDA government should take the panchayat election process seriously since the Kotia group of villages belonged to A.P. It should not yield to pressure tactics of the BJP government in Odisha. Otherwise, people will suspect that the A.P. government had a discreet agreement with the Odisha government,” said Mr. Rajanna Dora.