In the recent state elections in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara assembly constituency, the village of Shahpur witnessed a striking act of dissent as only one out of 1,063 registered voters participated. This solitary vote was cast by the village ‘kotwar’ around 6 pm, just as polling was concluding. Kotwars, responsible for disseminating welfare information, played a unique role in this unusual scenario.
The trigger for this widespread boycott was the Congress party’s denial of a ticket to local leader Neeraj Bunty Patel from Shahpur, who sought candidacy from the Chaurai assembly seat as an independent candidate. Expressing their discontent, the village panchayat unanimously decided to boycott the elections.
Local resident Daulat Singh conveyed, “The Congress denied ticket to Neeraj Bunty Patel from Chaurai assembly seat, and in protest, we decided to boycott the polling.” This decision unfolded on Thursday, setting the stage for a symbolic resistance against the political choices made by the party.
Notably, Chhindwara’s electoral landscape featured a fierce contest between sitting MLA and state Congress chief Kamal Nath and the BJP’s Vivek Bunty Sahu. Despite the pivotal nature of these elections, Shahpur’s protest showcased the depth of dissatisfaction among the electorate. The polling booth, which had witnessed 99 percent voter turnout in 2018, experienced a dramatic shift as only the kotwar exercised their franchise, emphasizing the impact of local dynamics on the electoral process.
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