Two Parties Join To Form A Committee In The Interest Of The Village

News Coutesy: Deccan Chronicle

May 2: If every political party worker in Karnataka has taken gram panchayat election as a prestige issue, here’s one place in Udupi district where workers from two political parties have shed their differences to form a committee in the interest of the village.

Shedding their differences, workers of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress in Udyavar have joined hands to form the Grama Samrakshana Samithi and work for the development of the village.

With 29 members, Udyavar Gram Panchayat is the third biggest gram panchayat in the region and has been a bastion of the Congress.

However, things are likely to change this time as strongmen in the panchayat belonging to the Congress and BJP have come together to contest the polls under the banner of “Grama Samrakshana Samithi,” or Village Protection Committee. The committee has fielded 28 candidates, including president of Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee, Udupi, Vijay Kumar (Bharatiya Janata Party), and former taluk panchayat member Bhaskar Kotian (Congress).

“Our main intention is development of the village and to keep it away from harmful and pollutant industries like fish mills. Three fish mills were set up in our village recently despite strong opposition from us. None of the elected representatives came to listen to our problem and fight for our cause. Thus, we have formed a committee for the protection of our village and will contest elections,” Mr Vijay Kumar told Deccan Chronicle.

“There has been no development in our village. Thus, we formed a committee and fielded candidates who will work for the welfare of the village. We hope to win atleast 20 seats out of 28 we are contesting,” he said. Members of the committee admitted that they endured opposition from their party.