Abbugundu residents vote only after promise of road, water tank

Tirupati: Residents of Abbugundu village in Irala mandal under Puthalapattu constituency, returned to polling booth on Thursday after initially boycotting ZPTC and MPTC elections over the lack of basic infrastructure.

The villagers had decided to stay away from polls, alleging that successive elected representatives and officials had failed to address their long-standing problems. Poor road connectivity, lack of proper drainage and inadequate drinking water facilities were among their main concerns.

Residents said these basic facilities had remained unavailable for generations despite repeated appeals to elected representatives and government officials. Frustrated by the lack of action, they decided to boycott the elections until their demands were addressed.

The situation changed after trainee Deputy Collector Suresh held discussions with the villagers on behalf of the district Collector. He assured them that a road connecting the village would be laid within two months. Mandal TDP president Hari Babu Naidu also visited the village and reportedly promised to construct a water tank and a temple.

Following these assurances, villagers called off their boycott and started arriving at the polling station after 2 pm to cast their votes.

However, a similar protest continued in neighbouring Thalupulapalle village of Puthalapattu mandal, where residents boycotted elections over their long-pending demands. The protest continued until the final stages of polling. Of the 915 registered voters at Thalupulapalle polling booth, only nine cast their votes by the final hour of polling. Both Abbugundu and Thalupulapalle villages, where residents protested over the lack of basic amenities, fall under Puthalapattu constituency.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Pradeep Vennelakanti

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