Poll boycott forces candidates to opt out

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 5: Residents of Pirpur village under Araidanga gram panchayat in Ratua-II Block have compelled four gram panchayat candidates to withdraw their names from the rural polls demanding for basic amenities in the village.Villagers compelled a Congress candidate, a CPI-M backed Independent candidate and two others to withdraw their nomination papers after the villagers decided to boycott the polls to draw the administration’s attention to the need for basic amenities in the area.The villagers may also boycott polls at the panchayat samiti and Zilla Parishad levels demanding construction of bridge on Kalindri river, roads, education centres, electricity supply and other basic amenities in the area.It may be noted that nearly 1,000 children below five years of age were not administered pulse polio drops when the villagers had earlier boycotted two Pulse Polio immunisation programmes to press for construction of a bridge over Kalindri river and development of roads for better connectivity.The block authorities have informed the higher authorities about the matter.The district election officials said:“The people of Pirpur are likely to cast votes for panchayat samiti and Zilla Parishad polls. We have to make arrangements for everything except at the gram panchayat level as no one is contesting at this level.”Mr Asharul Hoque, the Congress candidate and Mr Muhammad Washed, the CPI-M backed independent candidate said: “We cannot ignore the decision taken by villagers in the interest of people. We are unable to appeal to them for votes in the present situation.” It was learnt that candidates who are contesting for panchayat Samiti and Zilla Parishad could not enter the village to appeal for votes and that they were trying to contact people from outside to cast votes for them. The Ratua-II Block authorities said: “The demand for a bridge is legitimate. Not only Pirpur but villages of the adjacent block will also benefit from the bridge”.