Naxals strike across the Red Corridor in first phase of polls

16 April 2009

New Delhi: In a series of co-ordinated strikes across the much talked about Red Corridor – areas spread across several states of the country affected by left extremist violence – Naxalites have attacked polling booths and police and para-military forces in a desperate attempt to stymie the democratic process. Though the number of such attacks, and the co-ordination affected by various left extremist groups spread  across the country, has surprised observers, it would also mark a success for the strategy of the country's Election Commission in seeking to wrap up elections in left extremist areas in the first phase of the poll itself.

Naxalites- a generic term describing a myriad group of left extremist groups – have struck in the states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Orissa and Maharashtra causing at least a dozen casualties to police and par-military forces, besides looting of polling equipment and arms. Areas of these states, along with that of Andhra Pradesh, which are contiguous to each other, together constitute the Red Corridor.

Meanwhile, agencies report that voting across the country in 124 parliamentary constituencies, has begun on a moderate note. The first phase of polls covers in constituencies spread across 15 states and two union territories.

A number of political heavy weights will see their fate decided in this phase of polls. They include Lalu Prasad Yadav, Murli Manohar Joshi, Yashwant Sinha, K Chandrasekar Rao, Praful Patel, Renuka Chowdhury, D Purandeswari, Santosh Mohan Dev, Meira Kumar, Rameshwar Oraon, E Ahamed, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, former UN under-secretary general Shashi Tharoor and actress Vijaya Shanti.

As many as 1,715 candidates, including 122 women, are in the fray in the first phase. The votes will be cast through Electronic Voting Machines

Other four phases of Lok Sabha polls are due on 23 and 30 April and 7 and 13 May.