TURA: Residents from ten villages of Garo Hills have threatened to boycott the upcoming 2018 State Assembly elections in protest against the 2012 bifurcation which led to their area being transferred from North to West Garo Hills district.
Villagers from Takurbilla Garo village, Takurbilla Rabha village, Darugre, Borjhora, Daporbitha, Sarapara, Namapara, Puranipara, Pokirmora, and Amtuli held a joint meeting at Takurbilla on Wednesday, where they decided that they would not cast their vote for any candidate, party or otherwise, unless the state ‘rectify’ its bifurcation decision.
The anger of the residents of these 10 villages is because their administrative jurisdiction and polling stations have been shifted to newly created Raksamgre civil subdivision of West Garo Hills. Previously, the 10 villages fell under Resubelpara civil-subdivision and their electoral votes were part of Bajengdoba assembly constituency in North Garo Hills.
The bifurcation had affected residents of both 44-Raksamgre and 40-Bajengdoba assembly with villages from either side falling under new administrative circles.
Seeking a review of the bifurcation, a delegation of senior citizens representing the ten affected villages is to petition chief minister Mukul Sangma and the Chief Electoral Officer soon, informed convenor of the protest meet, Sengnang Marak.
The local GSU unit has also extended support to the villagers demand alleging that political interests by certain people have caused such a situation to arise.
The agitating villagers complain that although their area is closest to Bajengdoba block and Resubelpara district headquarters, yet, because of the bifurcation they have to go to Raksmagre for official work, Dadenggre SDMO office for medical work, Dadenggre sub-treasury for financial works and Tikrikilla for block related works.
