Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari on Thursday claimed that the Andhra Pradesh government has failed miserably in its attempt to hold panchayat elections in disputed Kotia region.
The neighbouring state was unable to lure the voters of Kotia panchayat in Koraput district despite making repeated attempts in this direction, Pujari told reporters.
“Andhra Pradesh government’s attempt to lure voters in Kotia has failed,” the Minister said while responding to queries about reports that some villagers of Kotia cast their votes at polling booths set up inside the Andhra territory.
Claiming that the Andhra Pradesh officials had taken away a few villagers of Kotia around three days ago, Pujari said these villagers along with a few others cast their votes in the panchayat polls conducted by the neighbouring state.
Notably, Odisha police had sealed a polling booth set up by Andhra Pradesh in Neradivalsa village along the inter-state border amid heightened tensions after the government of the neighbouring state initiated steps to hold rural elections in some villages in the disputed territory.
While a few villagers were taken away three or four days earlier and kept within Andhra Pradesh’s territory, some others from adjoining areas travelled through the jungles to cast their votes, he said.
However, their number was very negligible, while the majority of voters in the Kotia area stayed away from voting in Andhra panchayat polls, Pujari said.
The Minister further asserted that the Andhra Pradesh government failed to set up a single polling booth in Kotia due to the timely and coordinated efforts by the Odisha government, Koraput district administration, Odisha Police, political parties and local people.
“Andhra Pradesh failed to set up a single polling station in the Kotia area and retreated yesterday. The district administration, political parties, social organisations and the people of Kotia have done a commendable job,” said Pujari.
It may be noted that Odisha and Andhra have been claiming jurisdiction over the Kotia group of villages since the sixties and the issue had reached the Supreme Court also.
The decades-old dispute involves both Odisha and Andhra Pradesh claiming their right over 21 of the 28 villages of Kotia Gram Panchayat on the borders of the two states. The matter has been pending before the Supreme Court, with a fresh suit filed by Odisha in January 2022 still under consideration.