Lok Sabha Elections: Sidelined for years, Kuthlooru villagers mull poll boycott

MANGALURU: Dejected with the lackadaisical attitude of political leaders and bureaucrats towards them, villagers in Belthangady taluk’s Kuthlooru, which was once touted to be Naxal-infested, have decided to boycott the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.


The villagers, also comprising a sizeable tribal population, have been questioning the need to take time off their schedules to vote, only to be forgotten by the new dispensation that comes to power.

“The incumbent MP Nalin Kumar Kateel hasn’t visited us even once,” one villager said. “Neither the local MLA nor bureaucrats have reached out to us despite being fully aware of our condition. Why do we fool ourselves by reposing faith in them?”

Villagers allege that politicians, across political lines, have turned a blind eye to their woes.

“Government apathy has brought the Kutlooru government school to the brink of closure and we do not see any political will to revive it,” said a resident of the taluk. “Some roads were last developed during Mahatma Gandhi’s visit to the district. Two bridges are in a dilapidated state. Because of the lack of adequate infrastructure, we don’t even have access to drinking water. Give us one reason why we should vote.”

A pamphlet that is widely circulated in the village read: “Let us come together and boycott the upcoming elections.”


Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.