The Visakha Agency, which witnessed unsavoury incidents relating to the panchayat elections almost every day since the beginning of this month, was peaceful on Thursday. With the process of withdrawal of nominations ending on Wednesday, a strategic phase for the CPI (Maoist) in its plan to implement its call to boycott the elections, has ended.
It was able to force the withdrawal of nominations or not allowing interested contestants from filing nominations in the areas of its influence.
The Agency continues to be tense as the Maoists are expected to disturb the canvassing by the candidates and the polling on July 23, even as the police continued with extensive combing of the area. According to reports reaching here, only women were participating in the election campaign in Chintapalli and other areas where the Maoists have considerable influence. The men have left for the plains.
In Paderu area the canvassing is seen only in the villages along the major roads while there was no activity in the interior villages.
