Odisha leader of opposition writes to Andhra CM on bordering villages

The BJP leader alleged illegal conduct of elections by Andhra Pradesh in the three villages of Kotia gram panchayat in Koraput district of Odisha.

Odisha's leader of Opposition and BJP leader Pradipta Naik on Saturday wrote to Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on holding panchayat polls in the three bordering villages of Odisha. In his letter, Naik said that the move was against the spirit of the Constitution and requested him to maintain the status quo in the bordering villages.

YSR Congress party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy. (ANI file pic)

Alleging illegal conduct of elections by Andhra Pradesh in the three villages of Kotia gram panchayat in Koraput district of Odisha, Naik alleged that the Vizianagaram district administration not only conducted elections in Kotia of Koraput but also tried to hold polls in some villages of Rayagada district.

He also alleged that the Srikakulam administration tried to conduct polls in some villages of Ganjam and Gajapati districts and Vishakapatnam administration in some villages of Malkangiri.

“This is not only against the spirit of the Constitution but also against the spirit of the federal structure of the country. The activities of Andhra Government are going against the spirit of the Supreme Court ruling in 1968 to maintain the status quo,” Naik wrote in the letter, adding that it was a grave constitutional crisis.

"In the year 1942, in the joint survey of Odisha, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, seven villages of Kotia Gram Panchayat - Turia, Barabandha, Talakanti, Gumelpadara, Mathalamba, Suliamari, and Katraguda under Patangi block - were recorded as the revenue villages and revenue was collected accordingly by the government of Odisha. But as per the above notification of the Government of India, it is clear that these villages belong to Odisha. These villages were part of Kotia Gramapanchayat, Pottangi Block, Koraput District since independence. How can your government claim some villages of a panchayat as their land," he asked.

Naik said the holding of panchayat polls in Odisha villages showed the expansionist mindset of Andhra Pradesh. "Please look into this. Andhra and Odisha have a very strong cultural relationship for thousands of years. We should carry forward our relationship not fighting for the lands," he said.

In the first hearing on the contempt of court petition filed by Odisha in the Supreme Court on Friday, the Odisha government sought a four weeks’ adjournment to reply to the submissions of the Andhra Pradesh government. The Andhra Pradesh government in its affidavit before the SC said that three villages – Ganjaybadra, Pattuchennuru and Paguluchennuru – fall under Araku parliamentary constituency and Saluru Assembly constituency of Andhra Pradesh. Lok Sabha and Assembly elections have been conducted by Andhra Pradesh in the villages since 1952 while panchayat polls by the AP government were held in the villages in 2006 and 2013.