MUMBAI, SEPT 1: The Gramin Vikas Sangharsh Samiti (GVSS), which represents over 75,000 villagers within the Kalyan-Dombivali Municipal Corporation (KDMC) limits, has announced that over 27,000 voters from 15 villages will boycott the parlimentary and assembly elections.GVSS has been fighting a long-drawn battle since 1991 to free 27 villages which they allege were forcefully amalgamated into the KDMC. Since then, the villagers have boycotted parliamentary, assembly and civic elections. The GVSS says the villages must be restored to their gram panchayat status as the KDMC has been unsuccessful in providing them any civic facilities.In June this year, Chief Minister Narayan Rane announced that 12 of the 27 villages would be seperated from the KDMC. ``Our agitation will continue till the remaining 15 are freed from the shackles of the civic body,'' GVSS general secretary told Express Newsline. ``No amount of promises on development will suffice. We want nothing short of gram panchayats all over again.''
