Maharashtra: Police launch awareness campaign to encourage voting in naxal-hit Gadchiroli

GADCHIROLI: To encourage voting among the people, police launched a public awareness campaign in the naxal-hit Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

The campaign started by police aims to raise public awareness about voting and conduct 100 per cent voting in the area.

To maintain peaceful elections in the area, a huge force has been deployed to conduct peaceful elections.

The police also urged people living in the Naxal-affected villages to cast their vote.

Speaking to ANI, Sub Inspector Govind Khating said, "The objective of this awareness campaign is to encourage the voters to fulfil their duty to keep our democracy alive. The voting which is going to take place on April 19 in the upcoming polls will be a victory for democracy. We have deployed a huge force in the area so that voting can be conducted in a safe and smooth manner."

Elucidating the fear in the minds of the people in the Naxal stronghold, the SI said, "There is only one fear in the minds of the people that the Naxalites may launch blasts or attacks on them if they go for voting."

"The naxals target people who are close to the administration, that's why police forces have been deployed to protect them and facilitate the procedure of casting votes," said the official.

The official further said, "Under the initiative, we are also trying to provide home-voting facility to elderly citizens and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs). We are receiving a huge response from the people and they are cooperating and supporting us in our initiative."

Meanwhile, Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police, Neelotpal, said, "For the past 15 days, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been requesting everyone in Gadchiroli to come out and vote in large numbers without any fear. The Gadchiroli police are spreading awareness on the significance of voting and appealing everyone to come out and vote."

Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second-largest after Uttar Pradesh. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 23 out of 25 seats it contested in alliance with the undivided Shiv Sena.

Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra will be held in five phases on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13 and May 20. The counting of votes will be held on June 4.

The undivided NCP, part of the opposition alliance, contested 19 seats and won four. Following the split in 2022, the Shiv Sena, which had earlier formed a coalition government with the Congress and NCP, saw Eknath Shinde break away from the party with his loyalists and align with the BJP.

In the 2019 elections, the BJP emerged as the largest party with 23 seats, followed by the Shiv Sena with 18 seats.