From organising a fleet of 25 luxury buses to ply natives from neighbouring states, to an MLA-aspirant delivering juicy Tandoori Chicken to the voter’s home, in a candid conversation with this reporter, respondents from across some of the districts visited in poll-bound-Karnataka – gave a detailed account of how their would-be representatives are trying to woo them for their ballots.
At the pre-2018 Karnataka polls, a mere cash handout is simply not good enough. But, in a local colloquial, a combination of Hana, Henda and Kanda (Money, Alcohol and Meat) or organising religious excursions to Mantralyam, Dharmasthala or Bengaluru – would enhance the candidates’ prospectus.
“What’s there in cash? Almost every other candidate gives some or the other handout while visiting homes for the campaign. I and my family of seven take money from all the parties but, it’s barely enough for a day,” 37-year old Raju, a resident of Yadgir says.
At the venue, it becomes the party appointed contractor’s responsibility to systematically distribute – party logo branded caps, 1 litre water bottle to these attendees in the scorching hot Karnataka summer season. Besides a pre-ordered parcel of hot lunch or dinner packets will be picked up by the bus driver on the return journey from a hotel – away from the vigilant eyes of the election commission manning the rally grounds.
“It is only during the elections, we feel that democracy is working and the system gives value to common people like us. Once elected, we know the representatives will not visit us but, instead will be hobnobbing in Bengaluru for ministerial berths or other posts,” Pramila*, 47-year old tailor and mother of two from Belagavi adds.
For the first week of May, a leader of a political party from Yadgir has booked 25- Volvo buses from Pune to Gurmitkal (Yadgir). Owing to a shortage of employment opportunities, a large number of people, especially the male population, has temporarily migrated to Pune, where they are employed in sectors requiring semi-skilled workers. “Yes, a party leader’s agent has booked the bus. The passengers are mostly skilled and semi-skilled labourers. A contractor will
pay them at Pune while boarding the bus and we are told to pick them up on May 12″, Mahesh*, a booking agent says.
“Although the voting preference of the individual is unknown, we have noted that these contractors are experts in keeping these natives in good humour. The workers are moved after reuniting with their families over a free luxury-ride. The gullible, semiliterate or illiterate people in-turn, votes in favour of a party or a candidate which these contractors dictate. This has been going on for years and frankly the ‘model’ seems to be working,” Mahesh adds.
Upon return on May 13 at the Pune bus stop (beyond the ECI Karnataka jurisdictional purview) the passengers will once again receive a sum of money from the contractor.
At Bidar, Bhaskar – a local correspondent who reports for the Hyderbad-Karnataka region says that at-least by mid January, they have learnt of the political aspirants advancing cash to restaurants, alcohol-retailers, contractors to turn the sum into a legitimate business proposition. “It’s common knowledge. The aspirants or parties don’t handle the transactions directly. They have non-politically affiliated agents or contractors – who disburse the stipulated amount on their
direction. They are long term-players, people value their word even if it means returning their due post-elections,” Bhaskar said.
For every restriction placed by the Election Commission for a free and fair election, the candidates and political parties seems to have found an alternative route. “While not much saving is retained in the hands of the political-contractors, the parties or the candidates on coming to power duly reward these agents by giving them tender contracts for Cement Concrete (CC) roads,” Mahendra, a small restaurant owner at Chikkamaglur says.
Recently at Hassan, an aspirant of a party created a ruckus at the District party office after his name did not figure both in the first and the second list. “Speaking fairly, this businessman and wannabe politician took a lot of pain funding local Kabbadi matches and paying petty shop bills of his constituents. When a few families did not attend his night-out Tandoori party, he made sure that his people deliver the Tandoori meat to their homes. So, though illegal, the aspirant’s
frustration is justified,” a core committee member of the party at Hassan says.
In Dharwad-Central, two political heavy-weights had thoroughly invested in distributing saris, mixer-grinders, induction-cook plates and pressure-cookers to the same constituents till early March. However, now that the party has named one candidate over him – the dejected candidate has asked for appropriate compensation from the selected candidate as a guarantee to not act like a spoilt-sport for his political aspiration.
Meanwhile, a political-contractor from Koppal, Keshava’s hope to buy a second-hand car hit a dead-end after the bank refused him an additional loan. “A party gave me funds to purchase a car for myself for election-activities. I have promised them 4000 votes under my care-off. I had even sealed the deal with the seller. Although, I provided 20 percent of the amount, the private Non-Banking Financial Company refused to give the remaining as my CIBIL score was low,” he said dejected.
Although, not facing ATM-cash out horror stories in comparison to the North Karnataka counterparts, bankers in Dakshina Kannada are facing consumer backlash for dearth of Rs. 100 currencies at their outlet. “It’s a regular problem during elections; the political parties want to get people from rural areas for their city rallies, but not at the expense of Rs. 200, Rs. 500 or Rs. 2000. So they have stocked their buffers with most of the Rs.100 currencies for handouts. So
ATM’s these days generally dispense currency denominations, except Rs. 100,” a banker with a private bank says.
On being asked if it pricked his conscious to vote in fovour of a political party who paid him, one of the respondents at Chamarajnagar, feeling humiliated answered in an agitated tone. “Why do you think I should feel guilty? Am I asking for your father’s money? No, it belongs to the government. In the name of taxes, they have tricked me into giving it to them and I know I will never get to see any development. These leaders are not doing us a favor by giving us the
money, instead of getting it in five-years we are getting it all at once, it’s my rightful claim. Ultimately, I will vote for whom I want, so what’s the problem?” 68- year-old Raghu said, while adding that he didn’t mean his verbal remarks to this reporter.
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