Bengaluru: For a common citizen, electioneering means winning voters’ confidence by making assurances and getting votes in the end. For a hardcore politician however, elections nowadays are all about distributing money and winning the seat ‘at any cost’.
This trend is more than visible in Hebbal Assembly constituency where voting will take place on Saturday.
Two political parties are competing with each other to distribute money to select voters on the eve of the polls after campaigning came to an end.
One political party reportedly distributed Rs 1,500 per vote while its rival raised the bar and allegedly distributed anything between Rs 2500 and Rs 3000.
On an average, in a constituency, only 20-25 per cent voters are vulnerable to this ‘vote purchase.’ How are these people tapped for votes? First, the parties appoint 10-20 people to oversee the purchase in every polling booth limits.
They will do the groundwork of mapping the voters and finding out their political leanings. These workers will get Rs 500-Rs 800 every day for the job they do.
"These people come forward to work only for the sake of money though they may have their own political leanings too. The funny part is that workers associated with one party do not hesitate to meet their counterparts associated with a rival party. Generally, all these people end up in bars in the same area at the end of the day where their daily expenses are borne by the candidate," sources said.
As polling day nears, the daily wage of these people goes up by one and half or twice the original amount. A week before the poll, a large group of people join the original team to do the spade work for buying votes.
The daily wage depends on the intensity of the political battle. These workers will identify slums and pockets in the constituency where vulnerable voters are located.
Two days before polling, the parties distribute money through local leaders and supply liquor wherever they feel it can swing votes.
