Bastar to Vote in First Phase amid Heavy Security under Shadow of Kanker Naxal Encounter Killings

The drone cameras will be deployed for safe voting in areas situated amidst forests and to keep an eye on Naxalites. The search operation of soldiers has been intensified in sensitive areas and near polling places. Polling parties have also been transported to some places with the help of helicopters.

Bastar : Voting in the first phase of Naxal-affected Lok Sabha seat Bastar will be held on Friday. The Election Commission is fully prepared to conduct safe polling with large contingents of paramilitary forces having been deployed for maintaining security. All necessary measures have been taken for enhanced security in the aftermath of Tuesday's encounter in Kanker in which 29 Naxalites were killed. Kanker falls in the Naxal-affected Bastar region in Chhattisgarh.

As the Kanker encounter took place three days ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election, the EC took special measures to prevent any untoward incident in the entire Bastar region on the polling day on April 19. Also the authorities were determined to ensure higher voting percentage. The electioneering stopped 48 hours before the voting, i.e. at 5 pm on Wednesday.

Naxalite problem in Bastar Lok Sabha seat has affected development work in the area for years. This time, the people of Bastar are hopeful moving forward on the path of development by electing suitable candidates with their votes. To create a sense of security among the voters in Naxal affected areas, soldiers also conducted a flag march. The soldiers gave a message to the citizens that they should come out of their homes without fear and cast their vote.

Surveillance will be maintained through drones: The drone cameras will be deployed for safe voting in areas situated amidst forests and to keep an eye on Naxalites. The search operation of soldiers has been intensified in sensitive areas and near polling places. Polling parties have also been transported to some places with the help of helicopters. The Election Commission has made it clear that safe voting will take place under any circumstances. Those resorting to violence and ruckus will be dealt with strictly.

Sensitive polling stations will be monitored: This time, 14 lakh 72 thousand voters will cast their votes in Bastar Lok Sabha seat. About 1961 polling stations have been set up. Polling parties will be transported to the polling stations located at sensitive places with the help of helicopters. A large number of soldiers are being deployed at sensitive polling stations.

Big issues of voters in Bastar: This time there are many big issues in the elections on Bastar Lok Sabha seat on which voting will be held. The first issue is unemployment. This time the youth of Bastar want that they will go with the leader who will solve their unemployment problem. Development of Bastar is also a big issue. People want to elect a person who knows Bastar and can develop it.

CRPF, DRG and Danteshwari Fighters personnel will be deployed in Naxal affected areas of Dantewada. The Election Commission has sent polling parties to remote areas 48 hours before voting. Teams of 22 polling parties have been sent to Burgum and Potali. Returning Officer Jayant Nata said that additional soldiers have been deployed for the security of the polling station. Apart from Dantewada, polling parties were sent by helicopter to Bijapur, Sukma and other areas of Bastar.

Assembly seats in Bastar Lok Sabha: There are eight assembly seats in Bastar Lok Sabha constituency. These eight seats include Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Bastar, Jagdalpur, Chitrakot, Dantewada, Bijapur and Konta. All eight assembly seats are Naxal affected districts.

Political equation of 2024: This time Bharatiya Janata Party has fielded its veteran tribal leader Mahesh Kashyap who was associated with Hindu organizations since the beginning. Mahesh Kashyap is facing competition from veteran tribal leader Kawasi Lakhma here. Kawasi Lakhma is considered to have a good hold in tribal areas.

Congress turned tables in 2019: In the 2019 elections, when BJP leaders were riding on the wave of Modi, Deepak Baij had won from this seat. Deepak Baij had defeated BJP's Baidu Ram Kashyap from this seat. Deepak Baij got 46.2 percent votes while BJP got 41.73 percent votes. The contest was close but Congress made a dent in BJP's stronghold.

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