Elephants loom large as an issue in Indian elections

By Nityanand Shukla, Reuters
March 31, 2009

RANCHI, India, March 31 (Reuters) - Along with Maoist rebels, rampaging elephants have become a key voter issue in eastern India ahead of the upcoming general election as political parties promise to save villagers from the animals.

Villagers have put up banners saying, "save us from elephants and get our votes," and "help us and we will help you", in Ranchi city, the capital of eastern Jharkhand state, and other towns.

A shrinking habitat has forced elephants to raid farmlands and villagers have been encroaching upon forest land to build homes, increasing the man-animal conflict in the state, which has also been hit by Maoist militancy.

"We can assure you that we will make serious efforts to end the problem of elephants by chalking out a national policy," said Alok Dubey, a local leader of India's ruling Congress party.

Between 60 to 100 people are trampled to death every year in Jharkhand by elephants, which have also destroyed crops and homes, officials said.

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