KHAMMAM: As the municipal elections are round the corner, people belonging to the five municipalities of erstwhile Khammam district are facing difficulties in getting daily wage labourers for construction and other works as they are all busy with poll works.
As a result, many constructions have come to a standstill in these places. The ones whose houses are under construction are the most affected by the situation. Some have even postponed the construction work till the end of municipal polls.
Meanwhile, the same situation has come as a boon for the labourers who had been reeling under lack of employment for long. Thanks to the municipal elections, the daily wage labourers are getting employment on most days and the politicos are actually entering into a tug of war with each other to get the labourers first.
As the municipal polls to Kothagudem, Wyra, Sattupalli, Yellandu and Madhira towns in the erstwhile district are scheduled to be held on January 22, all the political parties have shifted to top gear in campaigning.
However, it is learnt that the lack of required number of cadre to carry out root-level activities is taking toll on most political parties. Though there are enough leaders and candidates, the lack of activists is posing challenges to the politicos. Even the pink party is facing the same issue and it is affecting their door-to-door campaigns.
According to information, the daily wage labourers have been roped in for this. The political parties are reportedly paying them daily wages to campaign on their behalf, or with them, in their respective municipalities.
It is learnt that each labourer is being paid between Rs 400 to Rs 500 per day for campaigning from 9 am to 5pm. As the demand for the labourers are considerably high, despite paying them money, the politicos are also providing food to them. Interestingly, some persons have even turned labour supply contractors and are supplying daily labourers on commission basis.
Workers paid Rs 400/day
Due to the lack of enough cadre, parties are paying workers Rs 400-500/day from 9am to 5pm to campaign on their behalf