Tembhli in Nandurbar district was transformed overnight into a picture-perfect village where Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi distributed the Unique Identity Cards (UID) to the first 10 recipients on Wednesday.
Just 2 km away lies Navalpur and Chandsaili, which were shortlisted as two of the three Maharashtra villages for the historic function to take place in.
"Our village was the first choice. The state government officials came here, did a survey and selected a couple of residents to receive the cards from the PM. The school got a fresh coat of paint, our kids got new uniforms and we were so excited," says Navalpur's Sudam Pawra.
The state machinery started work in Navalpur a month ago: concretisation of kuchcha roads started, the sole water tank was given a fresh coat of paint and social service messages were splashed on the walls of houses.
But the script went sour for Navalpur at the last moment. No sooner had the word came that Tembhli would host the historic function than work on all ongoing projects were abruptly dropped. The main approach road was left as it was - full of crushed stones - a sorry reminder of what could have been.
Angry villagers decided not to attend the Tembhli rally on Wednesday. "Our village was No. 1 only a week ago. Now it's back to zero. Tembhli will get all benefits… we have been deprived," a bitter Ransingh Gansingh Thakar said, adding that most of the Navalpur residents work as casual labour in Gujarat because they don't get jobs in the village. "Here, we hardly earn Rs 50 a day, that too, if we get work."
The story at Chandsaili, a By Deepak Lokhande in Nandurbar village about three km from Navalpur, is no different. Last month, the BSNL hurriedly installed a public telephone booth and the state electricity board installed new electricity meters. The touch- up job continued only till the news came that the PM was not coming.
But the Congress grip in the village was apparent as almost all the men attended Wednesday's event at Tembhli.
What angered the people of Navalpur more was the unofficial reason government officials gave for the PM's skipping the village - it seemed to be flourishing on its own with "big houses". "Look around sahib ... do you think these are bungalows?
Only the state transport bus conductor and this contractor have pucca houses here. Yes, we don't have thatched roofs, but does that make us richer?" Thakar asks, pointing at his hutment.
It seems Navalpur's status as a rehabilitated village did it in. The village was resettled at the new site after the original one submerged in the dam waters. The state gave the villagers cash in compensation and land for resettlement.
As a result, the village has a new look, unlike Tembhli
Just 2 km away lies Navalpur and Chandsaili, which were shortlisted as two of the three Maharashtra villages for the historic function to take place in.
"Our village was the first choice. The state government officials came here, did a survey and selected a couple of residents to receive the cards from the PM. The school got a fresh coat of paint, our kids got new uniforms and we were so excited," says Navalpur's Sudam Pawra.
The state machinery started work in Navalpur a month ago: concretisation of kuchcha roads started, the sole water tank was given a fresh coat of paint and social service messages were splashed on the walls of houses.
But the script went sour for Navalpur at the last moment. No sooner had the word came that Tembhli would host the historic function than work on all ongoing projects were abruptly dropped. The main approach road was left as it was - full of crushed stones - a sorry reminder of what could have been.
Angry villagers decided not to attend the Tembhli rally on Wednesday. "Our village was No. 1 only a week ago. Now it's back to zero. Tembhli will get all benefits… we have been deprived," a bitter Ransingh Gansingh Thakar said, adding that most of the Navalpur residents work as casual labour in Gujarat because they don't get jobs in the village. "Here, we hardly earn Rs 50 a day, that too, if we get work."
The story at Chandsaili, a By Deepak Lokhande in Nandurbar village about three km from Navalpur, is no different. Last month, the BSNL hurriedly installed a public telephone booth and the state electricity board installed new electricity meters. The touch- up job continued only till the news came that the PM was not coming.
But the Congress grip in the village was apparent as almost all the men attended Wednesday's event at Tembhli.
What angered the people of Navalpur more was the unofficial reason government officials gave for the PM's skipping the village - it seemed to be flourishing on its own with "big houses". "Look around sahib ... do you think these are bungalows?
Only the state transport bus conductor and this contractor have pucca houses here. Yes, we don't have thatched roofs, but does that make us richer?" Thakar asks, pointing at his hutment.
It seems Navalpur's status as a rehabilitated village did it in. The village was resettled at the new site after the original one submerged in the dam waters. The state gave the villagers cash in compensation and land for resettlement.
As a result, the village has a new look, unlike Tembhli
