Wooing rural voters with song and dance
Vikarabad: Vote-seekers, like candidates, and second-string leaders of almost all parties are resorting to use of group songs ('brundaganam') to attract the attention of people, as the big day of December 7 is fast approaching. They are moving in groups from morning to night in an intensified election campaign interacting with voters in all villages going house-to-house.
These groups include ZPTC/MPTC members, gram panchayat presidents/vice-presidents, MPPs, Upa-MPPs, CDCs, AMCs, Zilla Grandhayalaya presidents, and former people's representatives, besides leaders holding various posts. During their canvassing, the teams, including leaders of parties, are concentrating on gram panchayats and mandal centres- Tandur, Vikarabad, Kodangal, Parigi, Bashirabad, Kullkacharla, Marpalli, Yalal, Daultabad, Kosgi, Pudur- which have a large share of voters. While meeting people, the team members are explaining about the works the parties would take up if they are voted to power, besides pointing out the 'mistakes' committed by the previous rulers. Leaders of the TRS, Congress and BJP are striving hard to attract the voters by their rhetoric. They are also ensuring that they enter into the good books of caste and community representatives.
These groups, comprising not less than ten members, are touring each and every village, ward and colony. Meanwhile, they are being provided biryanis, snacks, tea/coffee alcohol and cash for their services.With such offerings, the group members are enjoying the election month, and this is displayed in their rendering of songs in chorus with great zeal and gaiety. The by-standers are taken aback by the lavish expenditure indulged in by these groups of all the parties, who seem to be concentrating on luring young voters, besides the rival candidates. In this process, no demands and pleas of the youth are being ignored, particularly those from rural areas. The rural youngsters are being lured with offers of sports kits and others depending upon the coterie and gangs they lead in the locality.
An example of this luring efforts can be gauzed from a bid in a constituency to invite a young former sarpanch into a party. The offers included a house-site besides Rs 8 lakh. The youth leader discussed the allurements with his family members, who exerted pressure on him to switch party loyalties. This alerted his own partymen who reminded him about the benefits and recognition it has given him. This blunt talk forced the ex-sarpanch to change his plan, much to the disappointment of the family members.
The intensified campaigning by the groups is resulting in frequent skirmishes among activists of various parties, who are taking up a prime role. The intensified campaigning is resulting friends, who used to move together almost daily, turning into foes. The skirmishes are preceded by heated arguments and clashes, even resulting in exchange of abuses. There have been several instances of such incidents.
Those witnessing such incidents are alerting others through Whatsapp and Facebook messages counselling against resorting to loose talk and cautioning that winners in the poll fray would end up sitting in the Assembly 'while we have to remain in villages'. Those resorting to clashes are being advised that it is not safe to be active in skirmishes, with stress on unity and taking active part in rural development.