Koraput, Feb 8: Villagers of Kotia are seen united against Andhra’s election in their gram panchayat. The local unity now tries to persuade the candidates to withdraw their nomination for the Andhra based election within Odisha limit.

A noted tribal leader and former MP Jairam Pangi said neighbouring Andhra Pradesh has declared a parallel election in as many as six villages in Kotia under Patangi block in Koraput. Andhra administration has cunningly included all these villages in the adjacent mandals (blocks)that belongs to Andhra Pradesh.    

As on today, Patangi block as a whole is already having elected  sarpanchs and ward members of its own.

In spite, Andhra has declared formal gram panchayat level election in six bordering villages of Odisha on February 13. Accordingly, as many as 19 natives of Kotia had filed nomination in favour of the election.

However, the aborigines of Kotia  now take it as  a conspiracy of Andhra to annex the border villages of Odisha. As a result, the villagers of Ganjeipadar,Fatusinery and Fagunasinery unitedly oppose the election in their area. The people’s unity now readies to resist setting up of polling booths of Andhra in their area.

At the same time, native people persuade the six sarpanch candidates including 16 ward members, those who have filed nomination to widhdraw.

In fact, the deadline for withdrawal of nomination is on February 8. Communuty approach and public pressure may inspire all these 16 candidates  to withdraw today , said Pangi.