Disgruntled with condition of roads, villagers in Siddharthnagar boycott poll

Disgruntled with the abysmal state of roads and overall development, coupled with alleged apathy of successive governments and local administration, villagers of Gram Sangaldeep in Domariyaganj Lok Sabha constituency of Uttar Pradesh have decided not to cast their vote today.

With officials persuading villagers to make it to their polling booth, villagers are steadfast and all the attempts by the officials went in vain. The polling booth is located at the primary school in the village and gives a deserted look with only polling staff and police personnel manning it.

There are over 550 voters in the village which comes in district Siddharthnagar. The locals alleged that roads do not get developed, as a result of which the village gets flooded with excess water from the nearby river.

Villagers went on to claim that all they got were empty promises from officials in charge.

"Our village gets surrounded by river water and we get disconnected from rest of the world. Politicians only shout on the mike and do nothing when it comes to doing something for our village," said Kanu Yadav, a local.

"The river has destroyed everything. We will vote in 2022 but not in 2019," said Ram Murti Yadav, another villager.

"You must have seen the pathetic state of the road here. Officials are pressurising us to vote saying it is our right. We know that but we have decided not to vote," said another villager.

"There are no toilets, neither roads nor good houses. It seems that we are not living in India. If we are not living in India then why to vote?" asks Ram Milan Yadav, a local.

However, Assistant Returning officer (ARO) Umesh Chand Nigam said that attempts are being made to persuade villagers to vote.

"We are requesting them to cast their vote. We are making all attempts to persuade them," he said.

Polling is underway in 14 seats in Uttar Pradesh, and the remaining 13 seats will go to polls on May 19 in the final phase of elections. Results will be declared on May 23.

.