As Voting Concludes For Phase 1 Of Lok Sabha Elections, Here's Why People In These 9 Areas Boycotting Polls

Several states have dissatisfied residents who have decided to boycott the Lok Sabha elections due to issues related to water, roads and housing.

Voting for the Lok Sabha Elections Phase 1 was conducted on Friday in 102 constituencies across 21 states and Union Territories on Friday. However, in the days leading up to it, several areas in the nation called for their boycott over various issues.

As per the latest EC data, 59.7% voting turnout was recorded nationwide till 6 pm on Friday.

Karnataka Water Crisis

In Karnataka, which is facing a severe water crisis, with at least 196 taluks categorised as "severely drought-affected", posters were seen outside houses in Harangi and Atturu in Kushalnagar taluks stating 'boycotting elections over need of pure water'.

According to a report by The New Indian Express, locals alleged that they were being supplied ‘impure water’ from the Harangi river. They also said that water sports activity affected the purity of water as it gets polluted with diesel. They demanded that water sports on Harangi be immediately stopped. A resident told The New Indian Express that the water is not useable for even baths and washing utensils. 

Odisha Village's Connectivity Woes

A week before Koraput’s Ambadaguda village in Jeypore threatened to boycott the upcoming elections because an all-weather road, which was meant to connect their village to the block headquarters had not been constructed. According to The New Indian Express, there are around 200 tribal families, who are enlisted in Ambadaguda under the Kotpad Assembly constituency. However, the area lacks a proper road, particularly the 5-kilometre stretch from Chikima to Ambadaguda. The lack of road poseses a challenge for their daily activities and socio-economic development. 

Uttar Pradesh

In Uttar Pradesh’s Muzzafarnagar, a ‘mahapanchayat’ of Rajputs on Tuesday decided to boycott certain BJP candidates for allegedly neglecting the community while distributing party tickets, according to PTI. The ‘mahapanchayat’ in the Kheda area was led by Thakur Pooran Singh national president of Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan and a prominent Rajput leader in the area. They have decided to boycott certain candidates of the saffron party in Muzaffarnagar, Kairana and Saharanpur Lok Sabha constituencies.

"People of the Rajput community in these areas will not vote for the BJP candidate but will opt for another strong contender from other parties in his place," he said. He claimed that the boycott was a sign of protest for the BJP for neglecting the Rajput community while distributing tickets. Singh also added that this will become the reason for the downfall of the BJP in Western UP. The BJP has fielded Sanjeev Balyan from Muzaffarnagar and Pradeep Chaudhary from Kairana Lok Sabha seats. Both Balyan and Chudhary come from the Jat community and are sitting MPs. In Saharanpur, the BJP has fielded Raghav Lakhanpal Sharma.

Uttarakhand’s Chamoli 

In Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, the residents of several villages decided to boycott the Lok Sabha polls in protest against the lack of road infrastructure in the region which often leads to delays in getting medical facilities. 

Pradeep Farshwan from Ganai village told PTI that in December 2023 they had decided to boycott the elections. He said that in the past two years, two women have delivered babies while they were on their way. “We decided to boycott the Lok Sabha polls in December. We will not vote until a road connects our village. We wrote a letter to the chief minister about the problem on December 11.”

“In February, village representatives, along with women, wrote a letter to the district magistrate about it", Farshwan told PTI. 

According to the report, some officials had visited the area on March 30 and had told them that they would submit a report within 10 days, however, iit has not been done so far. "There was a report in 2017 that a five-kilometre road could be built in the area. The villagers have said they will not participate in elections until the work starts," Pradeep said, adding that when people fall ill, they have to be carried on shoulders to the Patalganga market by an ambulance.

Punjab's Ludhiana 

Residents of a village in Ludhiana have decided not to vote in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections since no steps have been taken to resolve their issues of clogged open sewers and a polluted pond. People of  Jodhan village alleged that despite complaints that were made over five years, nothing was done about the issue, according to Hindustan Times.

Jagdev Singh, a resident told HT that over the past five years, open drains were blocked. When it rains, water accumulates and it takes days to drain out. The clogged open drains are bothersome and pose a health hazard, it has also become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. 

The residents have called for a permanent solution but if it is not done, they have decided not to vote. 

Tamil Nadu

Resident of the Vengaivayal Dalit colony in Muttukadu panchayat which is located in Tamil Nadu's Pudukottai district have declared their discussion to boycott the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The boycott was called as authorities had not acted on the contamination of the water tank with human excreta.

Approximately 30 families of Dalit residents in Vengaivayal have prominently displayed banners in the village, indicating their stance on boycotting the polls. Pudukottai falls within the Tiruchirappalli Lok Sabha constituency, where Durai Vaiko, son of MDMK leader Vaiko, is contesting as the candidate for the I.N.D.I.A. bloc.

Nagaland

Eastern Nagaland People's Organisation (ENPO) President R. Tsapikiu Sangtam clarified that the people of eastern Nagaland, comprising six districts, would not "boycott" the coming Lok Sabha elections but "abstain" from the electoral process, according to PTI.

The ENPO, which has been demanding a separate administration or state comprising six backward Nagaland districts since 2010, earlier urged the people to boycott the April 19 elections to the lone Lok Sabha seat in the state unless their demand is met, despite the appeals from the state government and various other parties. The agitating ENPO in support of its demand since March 8, has imposed a "public emergency" affecting normal activities.

Manipur

Civil society organisations and bodies from the Kuki-zo community said that they will boycott voting in the Lok Sabha polls. They stated, "no justice, no vote" following recent incidents of violence in the conflict-hit state. The Kukis have already declared that they are not fielding any candidate in the parliamentary polls as an act of boycott.

As per PTI, two people were killed in a gunfight that broke out between two armed groups in the Imphal East district last week, three people were injured in a gunbattle between armed village volunteers and unidentified people in the Tengnoupal district.

Noida/Greater Noida

Frustrated hombuyers and residents of several housing groups in Noida and Greater Noida have said that they will not vote or choose NOTA in the upcoming Lok Sabha election if the registries of their flats are not done. According to a report by Money Control, the residents who are tired of false promises, have launched a ‘No Registry, No Vote’ campaign for politicians visiting their housing society. The report says that residents of the following societies have joiedn the campaign- Gaur Saundaryam at Techzone 4 in Greater Noida West, Gardenia Glory in Noida Sector 46, Futec Gateway in Sector 75, Himalaya Pride at Techzone 4 in Greater Noida West, Nirala Greenshire society in Sector 2 Greater Noida West, Ajnara Homes in Greater Noida West and Shivalik Homes at Surajpur in Greater Noida, among others.