Kerala: Polls leave netas bankrupt, ailing

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Several Congress sitting MLAs and first-time contestants of the 2016 Assembly elections are bankrupt now because of the meagre poll funds given by the KPCC and AICC. The sitting MLAs were given  Rs 15 lakh and first-timers Rs 10 lakh only. The  majority of the seat aspirants do not get strong party backing and have to fall back on their  own funds. Unlike the CPM, the Congress leaders do not have any  source of income from the party. During the 2011 Assembly elections, the AICC had provided Rs 40 lakh per candidate, but in 2016, it came down to Rs 10 lakh. 

Those who have become bankrupt do not wish to reveal their identity for fear  of the wrath of the Election Commission of India.  “A sitting MLA from Palakkad district is poorer by Rs 47 lakh. But he can roll the funds. A youth leader who lost the elections is being harassed by a businessman demanding his dues towards flex and campaigning materials”, said a first-time Congress candidate who spent Rs 81 lakh for  campaigning in central Kerala. He  has a financial liability of Rs 23 lakh as of now.  Besides  financial loss, many have lifestyle diseases like diabetes and hypertension. 

A sitting MLA told DC that a few politicians tend to become “corrupt” to maintain their fund flow. Cherthala Congress candidate S. Sarath, 33,  who is known as the protégé of senior Congress leader A. K. Antony confirmed to DC that if the newcomers had received  proper financial backing, they would have come up trumps.  “The  Assembly elections in 2016 was one of the toughest as the campaigning was of longer duration. All the newcomers found it  difficult to maintain the tempo for over 40 days,” said  Mr  Sarath.