India, April 5 -- Even as south Chhattisgarh's Bastar has seen a significant uptick in aggression between security forces and Maoists in the first few months of 2024, with 19 alleged Maoists killed in the last week alone, both political parties and the administration are looking for ways to navigate the increased hostility with the Bastar Lok Sabha constituency scheduled to go to polls in the first phase of the parliamentary elections on April 19.

On Tuesday, 13 Maoists were killed and two security jawans injured in Bijapur district in the deadliest exchange of fire in Bastar since 2019 when seven Maoists were killed in Nagarnar. This comes four days after six Maoists were killed in another encounter in Bijapur. Overall, 47 alleged Maois...