Himachal village boycotts polls; demands road

Residents of Laharu Teeka village of Naura Panchayat have decided to boycott the Lok Sabha elections unless roads are built in their village. Villagers have put up several banners around the village urging politicians not to come asking for votes.

"We are very annoyed with the system. Every time politicians come to us, they promise to connect our village with a good road. But they stop coming after elections. Sometimes local women have to lift pregnant women to the hospital," said Reeta Devi, a villager.

The villagers believe that a small patch of road, about 150 meters, could end their longstanding woes. "We have to carry patients and pregnant women till the main road, on a cot. We had complained to the current as well as previous MLA but to no avail. Everyone asks for our votes but no one does anything for our roads. They make promises at the time of elections only," said Kartar Singh, another local.

"We have decided to boycott elections until roads are built," he added.

Himachal Pradesh has 4 Lok Sabha constituencies that will go to polls on May 19 in the seventh and last phase of general elections.