GP polls Candidates eye migrant labourers votes

Hyderabad: The Gram Panchayat election fever seems to have hit Hyderabad too, with candidates interested in the posts of Sarpanches and Ward Members in their native villages in districts, where the polls are being held, approaching the migrants who work in the twin cities or their outskirts. 

The candidates are approaching labourers for securing their support, making Herculean efforts to win over them, even gifting clothes for the Sankranti festival. Even travel charges to come to the city and back are being paid. In other words, the festive atmosphere appears to be continuing in the Twin Cities post the Festival of Kites for the labour force.

As part of the attempts to lure the labour class, masons and group leaders have become the most common persons to be given parties, besides being tempted with cash and allurements in other forms. Masons have become the most sought after in connection with the GP elections. 

The candidates are seeking the support of the migrants who abound in the twin cities. In fact it appears that they are desperately seeking voters among the visitors, particularly among the mason community, with a plan to secure bulk groups of supporters. As part of this plan, masons are being approached with a scheme to win over the labour force in places like Madhapur, Uppal.

The labour force is being tempted with not only offers of participating in feasts and gifts, but also with offers of car rides with promise of arranging on-hire four-wheelers for their benefit. In some cases, even the hire charges are being paid in advance.

Not only labourers even their families are being invited to visit their villages as part of the efforts to woo voters. Normally, during visits to their native villages, migrants are ignored. But in view of the panchayat polls, they are being approached in extra-friendly manners, with handshakes/hugs/pleadings.

 They also also being promised of making attempts to solve their personal problems at village level, besides extension of welfare schemes provided by the State government. The promises also include protecting their houses and lands from encroachers.