In Chhattisgarh's Bastar region, a young tribal doctor named Prakash Kumar Gota, who lost three family members to Maoist violence, has decided to contest the upcoming elections as an independent candidate.
Prakash, a doctor, entered politics to address "oppression" in Bastar due to violence and a lack of justice. He is running as an independent candidate for the Bastar Lok Sabha seat.
"My name is Prakash Kumar Gota and I am an independent candidate for constituency number 10 in the Bastar region. I am a resident of Gram Panchayat, Bijapur, Chhattisgarh. I have completed my medical studies. I have entered the electoral arena driven by the oppression I faced from governance and administration. The purpose of my candidature is to address the oppression we face in our area, which is Southern Bastar, where gunfire is a daily occurrence. We are struggling to survive, fighting for our lives," he told ANI.
"My brother was kidnapped by Maoists, and attempts were made to kill him. I requested an investigation through the administration, but it was not conducted. My father was murdered by Maoists, and the same fate befell my grandfather. This is why I am standing here, as a victim of circumstances. My brother is currently in a coma," he said.
He believes that dialogue is the only solution to the Maoist problem in the area.
"This (the Maoist problem) can only be resolved through dialogue; otherwise, gunfire won't cease," he said.
Elections in the 11 parliamentary constituencies of Chhattisgarh will take place in three phases on April 19, 26, and May 7. The counting of votes will be done on June 4.
The BJP, which has a stronghold in Chhattisgarh, won 9 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha, while the Indian National Congress (INC) was limited to only 2 seats. In the 2014 election, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 10 seats, while the INC only managed to win one seat.
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