Parties target voters in Bastar haats as people choose work over politics

Tribals in Bastar make it a point to visit the haat. They travel as much as 20 km to the haat where they bargain, exchange and shop for their needs

Murdanda, a sleepy village about 30 kms from the restive Bijapur district in Bastar, wears a deserted look. The village is not forsaken because of Maoist terror; people have left their homes for forests to collect the produce - their livelihood and major economy.

This is not the only village; a major part of interior Bastar wear a similar look. The villagers leave the settlement at dawn and return only after dusk. It is the peak season for minor forest produce collection that has soured the election flavour in the constituency where rebels normally call for poll boycott.

The candidates visiting villages