MLA hopefuls on recruitment spree

Visakhapatnam: The MLA aspirants, who have strong assurance from high command for Assembly tickets have already started 'political recruitments’ for conducting election campaign and transactions.

They are recruiting college students, members of Self-Help Groups and youth from familiar families from their agents to woo the voters in the coming elections. The aspirants are offering motorbikes, gold, home appliances, and four-wheeler to agents besides attractive packages to work for their victory in the elections.

Some leaders are buying second-hand motorbikes and cars at a large scale to kick-start campaign works with college students and village/mandal and municipal division leaders. The agents till the polling date will be given petrol/diesel at free of cost at selected petrol outlets. Distribution of various sops including cash has become a big task to contestants in the elections.

Transfer and carrying of money during the election time has become a big task to contestants. With this, some contestants selecting well-known college students and youth from known families and depositing money in their accounts in small amounts and giving bikes for electioneering. The youth will be given a route-map to lead the campaign. They also providing Rs 500 to Rs.1,000 per day to youth.

"Shifting and maintaining large amounts during the elections is very tough. That is why we are taking the help of SHG members, other women, youth particularly the college students. What is wrong in this, when a mega event taken place, the organisers are recruiting workers on daily basis.

This is also same. The agents will move into the ground-level and coordinate with local leaders for a smooth administration. And no one will be caught even raids took place," a close associate of a strong MLA aspirant of YSR Congress Party opined. While the YSRCP aspirants are looking youth and persons from known-families, the ruling TDP leaders are looking at the SHG leaders to lead the transactions.

The TDP leaders have already identified women, who will have strong influence at their localities and to lead the election transactions. Some leaders have already started buying liquor stocks at various locations in their respective constituencies. As the enforcement agencies conducting raids on liquor dens, it is causing a big disturbance for us during the peak time.

With this, the MLA aspirants with the help of their associates started purchase of liquor bottles and started storing them at various locations. Every day, people from the election office will issue tokens for petrol for vehicles and liquor to boozers who will follow the contestants in the electioneering.