Residents of disputed villages in Kotia cross Odisha border to vote in Andhra Pradesh polls

BHUBANESWAR Several voters from Kotia gram panchayat, whose jurisdiction has long been disputed between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, crossed the Odisha border on Thursday to cast their votes in the mandal parishad territorial constituency and zilla parishad territorial constituency elections conducted by the Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission. The Odisha government had deployed 16 platoons of police and erected three border checkpoints, restricting people’s entry and exit. However, several voters sneaked out from the borders to cast votes.

The Andhra Pradesh government had set up a polling booth for villagers of Kotia at Sariki in its State boundary. Political parties in Odisha accused leaders from Andhra Pradesh of bribing people to get their votes. “Some were taken to the other side of the boundary on Wednesday.

After casting their votes, they returned,” said veteran Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati, who hails from Koraput district. Similarly, Bhrugu Buxipatra, a senior BJD leader, said a few had crossed borders to vote.