Villagers in Abbugundu will boycott the ZPTC and MPTC elections due to a lack of basic amenities.

Tirupati: Residents of Abbugundu village under Yerrapalli gram panchayat in Chittoor district have decided to boycott the ZPTC and MPTC elections in protest against the lack of basic amenities.

According to them, successive governments and elected representatives have ignored their long-pending calls for better roads and healthcare facilities.

The villagers said the absence of proper roads had made access to healthcare difficult, particularly during medical emergencies.

“Patients and accident victims struggle to reach hospitals because of poor road connectivity.

The situation becomes worse at night.

Several people have lost their lives due to delays in receiving medical assistance,” Konka Ravi, a resident of Abbugundu, told Deccan Chronicle.

The village also lacks adequate drinking water facilities and a proper drainage system.

The residents said these problems had persisted for generations despite repeatedly bringing them to the notice of local MLAs, political leaders and government officials.

“We have submitted representations to the district administration more than 20 times, but there has been no response.

Political leaders visit our village only during elections, seek votes and promise to resolve our problems.

Once they win, they do not return or bother to look into our issues for the next five years,” Ravi said.

Expressing their frustration over the continued neglect, the villagers questioned whether their settlement had even been properly recognised in official population records, given the absence of basic infrastructure.

As a mark of protest, they have collectively decided not to exercise their franchise in the ZPTC and MPTC elections, scheduled on Thursday.

Ravi said no election official or representatives of any political party have approached the villagers to dissuade them from boycotting the elections.

“We would reconsider the decision only if the district administration addresses our grievances and provides basic facilities,” he said.