Despite losing civic polls, Odisha leader keeps promise of providing drinking water to residents

G Srinivas Rao, who was contesting for the post of Municipal chairman in Malkangiri on a Congress ticket, kept his promise of providing drinking water to the residents despite losing to the BJD in the urban body polls.

Elections are won sometimes on tall promises. However, very few politicians keep their promise despite losing.

In a rare instance of a politician keeping his Poll plank, despite losing, a candidate in Naxal-hit Malkangiri district kept his promise made during the campaign in the recently concluded urban body polls.

G Srinivas Rao had promised to provide tubewell for the residents facing water scarcity issues in the area, irrespective of the election result. Rao was contesting on a Congress ticket for the post of chairperson of Malkangiri municipality.

During his campaigning, Rao had promised, whether he won or lost the election, he would sort out the water issue for the residents facing an acute shortage of drinking water in the area.

The residents of the area had to walk around two kms everyday to fetch drinking water.

Rao, who coughed up Rs 50,000 from his own pocket on boring the tubewell, said, "I had promised to put an end to their water woes and so here I am digging the tubewell."

Rao also added that the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) had failed to provide even basic amenities to the residents of tribal-dominated areas, despite being in power for 22 years.