Villagers in UP's Saharanpur to boycott LS polls

Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], Apr 6 (ANI): People of the Manoharpur village in Saharanpur have decided to boycott the ensuing Lok Sabha polls alleging that no developmental work has been done in the village since independence.
“There is a reason behind voting. But why should we? Suppose someone becomes MP from here, then the MP should look at our roads. The MP should make arrangements to provide electricity for us. When this is not happening, why should we vote?” asks villager Tripal Saini.
“We don't want to vote. Why? People say in 100 years, even waste materials changes its place. But not of ours. We are grateful to your (reporter) that you at least asked us why you are not voting. No one else has asked this question to us,”  says Saini.
Posters in support of the proposed boycott can be seen outside the houses of people in the village.
The village lacks basic facilities like electricity and clean drinking water.
Villagers allege that the dream of development shown to them by politicians never turned to reality. This is also the reason why they don’t want anyone to come to ask for votes. They also allege that no leader has come to ask them about their condition.
“No leader ever came to ask us about our problems,” alleges Seema, a housewife.
“There was a water crisis two years ago. We were assured that it will be solved in two weeks. Those two weeks never came,” claims Shivram Saini.
However, villagers are willing to participate in the election process if they are given written assurances (for development).
“We don't want to vote because no development has taken place here. If we don't get any written assurance, we are not going to vote,” says Pritam Singh Saini.
Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to be conducted in seven phases from April 11 to May 19.
The results will be announced on May 23. (ANI)