Here is why a village with 1,063 voters boycotted Madhya Pradesh election

Denial of ticket for Shahpur native Neeraj Bunty Patel (in pic) allegedly upset the village panchayat. Photo: Election Commission

Only one voter from Shahpur village in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara assembly constituency cast vote in the state elections on Friday as the rest of the locals boycotted polling to protest the denial of ticket by the Congress to a local leader from another seat.

Sitting MLA and state Congress chief Kamal Nath and the BJP's Vivek Bunty Sahu are the main contestants from Chhindwara.

Of 1,063 registered voters in the village, only the village 'kotwar' cast his vote around 6 pm when the polling was about to end. Kotwars are appointed to disseminate information about welfare schemes and assist the administration otherwise.

The village panchayat on Thursday decided to boycott polling as the Congress denied ticket to Neeraj Bunty Patel, who hails from Shahpur, from Chaurai assembly seat, said local resident Daulat Singh. Patel is contesting from Chaurai as an independent candidate.

As per booth presiding officer Ramesh Gadge, only kotwar Gopal cast his vote. The same polling booth had recorded 99 per cent voting in 2018, he added.

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