The tribal constituency of Pathalgaon forms part of “Naglok”, where scores of people die of snake bite every monsoon. The region is also known for the human trafficking of children, poor plight of tomato growers and death due to lightning every year. But these issues have been eclipsed in the tough contest between state BJP president Vishnudeo Sai and Congress veteran, Rampukar Singh, in these Assembly polls.

None of the main contestants are discussing these issues. It’s not that they are new to the constituency. Sai is a sitting MP from the Raigarh Lok Sabha constituency in which Pathalgaon is a segment. He had unsuccessfully contested Assembly polls twice from this constituency. Sitting Congress legislator and former minister Rampukar Singh is seeking election from here for the eighth time — he lost here only once in the 1990 polls in undivided Madhya Pradesh.

“Nobody is discussing the real issues that pose a threat to human life and dignity. Development and corruption supposed to have taken place in some other part of the state, are being discussed here”, says Ramesh Sharma, a senior journalist based in Pathalgaon.

Apart from death by snakebite and human trafficking of children from this region, another major problem involves tomato growers in more than a 100 villages in the constituency. Almost every year, there is a bumper tomato crop but the farmers don’t get a fair price for their produce as they fetch only 50 paisa to one rupee per kilogram. It turns out to be a loss-making business, forcing them to turn their cattle loose in the tomato farms.

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