ONGOLE/ELURU: "Do Not lose a single vote as each of them counts." This is the motto of every political party in the State, which is more or less witnessing a triangular contest for the race to the Assembly. To realise this, parties are competing eagerly to get migrants back to their natives and vote in their favour. To get the migrants (majority of whom work as labourers in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Nizamabad and other far off places) come to their respective constituencies and cast their votes, the parties are either taking services of private and mini-bus operators or directly depositing money into the voters’ accounts so that they could buy train and bus tickets.
In Prakasam district–where migration is a common scene, leaders of various political parties have identified those who have migrated in search of livelihood and made arrangements for them to come back to their villages. From the three constituencies of Kondepi, Kanigiri and Kandukur (that face severe drought situation and lack in facilities for irrigation water), around one lakh people are working as masons and labourers in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Sangareddy and Nizamabad.
“Majority of them (migrants) belong to the Vaddera community and are basically into ‘beldari’ (masonry and construction work). With no livelihood opportunities, they have left for far-off cities and are working at construction sites. Their votes, however, remain at their respective villages,’’ a political leader said.
The groundwork to get them back began almost a month ago, with the booth-level workers gathering information about those whose names are present in the voter list, but live in other places. “With the help of relatives and neighbours, their (migrants) phone numbers were collected.
As per their convenience, we will make arrangement for them come to the villages and vote,’’ the politician said. Sources in the know have confirmed that the parties are depositing money into the voters’ bank accounts for train and bus tickets. “If a group from one village are living in one particular place in Bengaluru or Hyderabad, arrangements are made to get them back,’’ a source said.
A voter living in Bengaluru is given anywhere between Rs 3,500 and Rs 4,000 towards travel charges. For those living in Hyderabad, Rs 1,500 - Rs 2,000 is deposited, while the amount is a little higher for those in distant places such as Sangareddy and Nizamabad. Not only for travel, but expenses for food and shelter are also given to voters without a house, the leader said. Similarly is the case in West Godavari. Nearly 10,000 people have migrated from Denduluru segment itself. “The migrants have been identified by booth-level workers and arrangements are made for their return,’’ a leader from the constituency said.