\"Gold for vote\" offer in Munugode: Voters to get Rs 52,500 worth gold as \'gift\'

HYDERABAD: Political parties are typically known to entice voters with alcohol and cash. With the Munugode Assembly byelection taking place a week after Diwali, major parties are reportedly luring voters with gold.

The ‘Diwali sentiment’ which makes people purchase gold during the festival as a symbol of luck and prosperity is being used by major parties to entice voters.

While Diwali will be celebrated on October 25, the bypoll will be held on November 3. For Dasara, the parties had distributed chicken, mutton, liquor and cash.

Now, local leaders of major political parties are visiting households with voter lists and promising to distribute 10 grams of gold, valued at nearly Rs 52,500, as a 'Diwali gift' to families with four to six voters, while families with fewer than four voters are being promised cash gifts of between Rs 20,000 and Rs 40,000.

Almost all the local leaders in Munugode constituency shifted their loyalties to other parties unable to resist the 'packages' offered by rival parties. As this process has now been completed and the bypoll notification has been issued, the major parties have now shifted their focus to lure voters with gold and cash.

The major parties have given booth-wise targets for local leaders to secure votes for respective parties in the bypoll. Their task is to visit every home, especially those with more than six voters, interact with them, and make a 'deal' with them, get money from top leaders of respective parties for distribution and secure their assurance of casting vote in their favour.