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KBK's 'B' goes to yet another poll today

M I Khan in Bolangir

What does an election mean to the residents of India's most backward area? Probably, promises which their experience of last many years tells them will not be kept.

Bolangir is the 'B' in the infamous 'KBK' block which stands for everything that is wrong with the country today - a corrupt administration, a rotten political culture and crippling poverty that just smothers an individual's capacity to raise his voice against injustice.

The two Ks in KBK stand for Kalahandi and Koraput. And just like Bolangir, they don't need any introduction - their poverty is their identity.

Two things become clear as one travels through the dusty roads of Bolangir. One, the common man here no longer cares for politics and politicians. Second, the politicians do not care for the common man either.

Despite the fact that nothing has changed here since the last assembly election, all the sitting MLAs in the six assembly constituencies - Bolangir, Loisingha, Titlagarh, Kantabanjhi, Santala and Patnagarh - have been re-nominated.

So, what will happen when Bolangir goes to the polls with some other parts of Orissa tomorrow in the first phase. Well, party workers will drag some people to the polling booths, others will be lured with promises of a meal or a bottle of a local brew. Some will, of course, go on their own: for they would not have anything better to do.

In Bolangir, only 6 per cent of the land is cultivable. Over 90 per cent of the total population here lives below the poverty line. Employment opportunities are non-existent.

"In the last 50 years almost all that we need has been a part of every political party's manifesto - election after election after election. They promised roads, irrigation schemes, drinking water schools...," Devesh Mishra draws a deep breath.

Devesh does not have a job, his family does not have any land to cultivate. He has been living off small jobs in nearby towns.

Once you have heard out several Devesh Mishras, it is easy to understand why the presence such names as Sonia Gandhi, J B Patnaik, L K Advani, Pramod Mahajan and Naveen Patnaik failed to electrify the poll campaign here.

"It is difficult to pin-point who let us down, because they all have been equally disappointing. Congress, BJD, BJP they have all cheated us,'' says Manik Bhau, a resident of Dhaura Pana village in Santala assembly segment.

The Biju Janata Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party is, nevertheless, going through the ritual - they have promised to transform the district, eradicate hunger and wipe out hunger.

What the combine and other political parties probably don't understand is that the number of people they are trying to fool is shrinking rapidly with every election. Hunted by hunger, they are all fleeing to cities and towns in search of employment.

"People have begun migrating like every year... there is no work, no food and no hope to hold them back," says Dhalu Tandi, who lives in a small hamlet under the of Kantabajhi assembly constituency.

What hurts Bolangir most is the fact that it has been let down by its own people.

In the last two terms of the Lok Sabha BJP's Sangeeta Singhdeo, a scion of the Bolangir royal family, represented the constituency. The Bolangir assembly seat is regularly represented by BJD's A U Singhdeo, another member of the family and Sangeeta Singhdeo's husband. Bolangir's maharaja, R N Singhdeo, once ruled the state as its chief minister.

In the last assembly election the ruling Congress won two seats - Santala and Kantabanjhi - the BJD won Bolangir and Titlagarh, the BJP won Patnagarh and one independent - Balgopal Mishra - won Loisingha.

All of them, as mentioned earlier, are back in the fray. A little twist has been provided to the contest in Loisingha with Janata Dal (United) state unit president Narasingha Mishra throwing his hat in the ring. He is backed by the Congress.

The Mishras are leaving nothing to chance. Balgopal Mishra, who is contesting as a BJP nominee this time, is backed by the royal family.

But all these are meaningless political games which do not interest the people of Bolangir.

If elections were meant to empower people the exercise has been a complete failure in the KBK block.

Assembly Election 2000

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