JEYPORE: The Andhra Pradesh government on Wednesday decided to shift the polling booth proposed at Neredivalsa in the Kotia region to Sarika village on its side of the border, in a move aimed at defusing tension as Koraput administration put up a strong protest.
The decision followed discussions with officials of the Koraput district administration, a day before Andhra Pradesh is scheduled to hold panchayat elections in the Kotia group of villages.
Tension, however, persisted in Kotia amid heightened election-related activity, prompting the Koraput administration to step up security and intensify outreach programmes in the border villages. Eight platoons of police personnel were deployed in different villages to prevent any untoward incident and maintain law and order.
As part of the outreach efforts, health and public service camps were organised in several villages of Kotia panchayat by the Koraput administration. A large number of villagers attended the camps and availed healthcare facilities and various government services.
Political activity also intensified after leaders and workers of various political parties from Koraput district visited the region. Koraput MLA Raghuram Machha, Kotpad MLA Rupu Bhatra, Pottangi MLA Ramchandra Kadam and former MP Pradeep Majhi, accompanied by local residents, visited the Neredivalsa border post, where people from Odisha and Andhra Pradesh had gathered.
The gathering at the border also triggered tension in the area, with the situation remaining sensitive amid the growing face-off over Andhra Pradesh’s election-related activities in the territory. In another development, Odisha Police shifted an Andhra Pradesh police post from Upper Sembi, officials said, as part of measures to address the emerging situation along the border.
Koraput sub-collector Fabi Rasheed said the situation was under control and the administration was closely monitoring developments in the region.
“The administration is keeping a close watch on the situation in Kotia. Adequate security arrangements have been made to maintain peace and law and order in the border villages,” she said.
