Poll peaceful in Rayagada except sporadic boycotts: Polling percentage 74.44

Rayagada, (Badal Tah): Approximate voter turnout trend in Rayagada district is 77.44%, Bissam Cuttack Assembly Constituency(AC) being the highest, ie, 77.93% in 1st phase poll in Odisha. It is 72.91% in Rayagada AC & 72.53% in Gunupur AC. Jhodia tribe in Kashipur from Rayagada assembly constituency and Dangaria Kandha, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group(PVTG) mostly inhabiting in Bissam Cuttack assembly constituency, warned the state Govt to boycott Simultaneous General Election(SGE)-2024 en masse if their demands are not met. Jhodias demanded a tribal status and Dangaria Kandhas demanded to scrap all police cases instituted against them illegally. When this correspondent met Jhodia leader Sumani in Siriguda village of Kashipur Block, she was anguished over both BJD & BJP govts. “Time & again we have represented our case before BJP ministers and BJD leaders in Delhi and Bhubaneswar respectively, but in vain. Though we resolved to boycott this poll, it is yet to be finalised and we may go for some other alternative”, said Sumani. Similarly, 134 voters of only three villages namely Lakhpadara, Patangpadara & Dangamati in Kalayan Singhpur block boycotted poll according to information given by Lada Sikaka, leader of Niyamagiri Surakhya Parishad. Interestingly enough, Dagaria Kandhas even walked fifteen kilometers in Muniguda block to cast their votes. 70 voters from Rabaguda village from Dhamunipanga GP of Kalayansinghpur block. They were demanding proper roads, drinking water and a bridge over Kalyani river.

452 voters from Kandhachampia, Karnipadu & Dangapadu villages in Kolnara block did not cast their votes resisting any irrigation in their villages in spite of a minor irrigation project, which is almost defunct. They also demanded enough safe drinking water and the repair of roads. All the villagers protested in front of the polling booth. Maudiguda villagers in Gadiseskhal panchayat of Kolnara block protested with placards before the visiting minister Jagannath Saraka seeking basic facilities in their village. 89 voters boycotted poll in this village. All these poll boycotts were only in Bissam Cuttack AC. Had there been no poll boycott in Bissam Cuttack AC, the turnout trend definitely would have gone more than 77.93%.

165 under trials and convicts could not caste their votes due to non-availability of any such facility in Rayagada sub-jail premises. In a few places EVMs could not work properly & there was late voting. The disgruntled voters were given sufficient time in those booths to take care of late voting. Though at few places, villagers warned to go for poll boycott, Collector Manoj Satyawan Mahajan took note of each issue and intervened through his team of officials. Either the voters were motivated not to have poll boycott or the issues got sorted out immediately by the concerned officials or the demands were looked into. The Electronic Voting Machines(EVMs) from Rayagada and Bissam Cuttack ACs are kept with tight security in Ekalvya Model Residential School(EMRS) near Barijhola. The representatives of all the candidates have cross-checked the security measures in the said school. The EVMs of Gunupur AC are stored at Sub-Collector’s office taking all the precautionary measures by Sub-Collector Gunupur. Thus the fate of 30 candidates in Rayagada district is sealed in the EVMs.