Khammam: Some sections of the people will benefit during the elections, particularly after the poll campaigns commence, by getting partial employment. Artistes who play drums and other instruments and singers who sing folk songs are among the groups benefited.
These are at least 4,000 such artistes who play drums during marriages and functions. They sit idle in other months and wait for calls from marriage parties. But the approaching elections have made these artistes busy as all political parties and candidates engage them during the campaigns. They play a big role in rallies, padayatras and visits of VVIP and VIP leaders.
N. Venkateswara Rao, a political activist in Chimmapudi said, “People are alerted by the sound of drums during election campaigns. The attention of the voters is drawn to the drum sounds during the visit of the leaders. People who come out from their houses, hear the speeches of the leaders, who try to explain the manifesto or the good work done earlier for the people. Whether they believe them or not, the voters hear what the leaders say. Many party candidates hire them as teams for the entire period of the campaign till the election date. These teams will be sent to the villages for campaigns.”
K. Venkatesh, a drum artiste said, “We are paid Rs 750 to Rs 1,000 per day during the campaign. We work at least eight to 10 hours in a day.” The candidates serve food to the teams and provide them accommodation. There is a lot of demand for folk singers too who are paid Rs 2,000 per day.
Particularly after Telangana was formed, an interest in folk songs has increased among the public. These singers get Rs. 2000 per day excluding expenses. Some singers write songs and sing in favour of the party or candidate who engages them. As per one estimate, about 4000 artists and singers in Khammam and Bhadradri-Kothagudem districts will get employment during the elections.
