While the residents of several remote villages in Chhattisgarh's Bastar Lok Sabha constituency defied the poll boycott call given by Maoists and exercised their franchise on April 19, people from Puvarti village, the native place of a hardcore Naxalite leader, chose to stay away from the electoral process.
Puvarti, a Maoist-stronghold in Sukma district bordering Bijapur district, is the home village of Naxalite leader Hidma, who is believed to be the mastermind of several deadly attacks on security forces in Bastar region.
Polling was held in the Bastar Lok Sabha seat on April 19 and a voter turnout of 67.56% was recorded there.
