Poverty and hunger has pushed several labourers to participate in election campaigns amidst severe heatwave in Andhra Pradesh. Some women were doing campaigning by carrying their toddlers just to get ₹50 or ₹100 more.
“I used to work in construction sites. Due to the hot weather and heatwaves, works are suspended. To feed my family, I am participating in election canvassing,” said B. Grace, a daily wage labourer. “We planned to earn some money by working in catering units this summer. As there are no ‘muhurtams’, there are no marriages and gruhapravesams (housewarming) for the last few days, forcing us to join in the election campaign,” said a labourer couple from Ongole town.
“Thanks to the elections and the leaders engaging us in the campaign. We are able to earn ₹500 a day, with one breakfast and meal, and feed our families,” say the workers of Santanutalapadu in Prakasam district.
Increased women participation
Many women were seen participating in the campaigns along with the contestants of various political parties by carrying party flags in Palakol, Veeravasaram, Narsapuram, Nuzvid, Jaggaiahpet, Vuyyuru, Avanigadda and other areas since morning.
Candidates engaging in election campaigns from 6 a.m. to 10.30 a.m. The door-to-door campaigns and rallies resume at 4 p.m. and the day finally ends at 10 p.m, says P. Rajamma of Machilipatnam, a woman worker who earned ₹12,000 by canvassing for the last few days.
“Many farmers are harvesting their fields with machines and there is no work for labourers. Painters, plumbers, carpenters, electricians and others working in unorganised sectors are not having work due to heatwaves,” said Pala Rajesh, a painter who was campaigning for a candidate in Bhimavaram.
“Mediators will take the list of the persons who are willing to come for election campaign in each colony. For one session (morning hours) mediators will pay ₹200 with breakfast. If we participate in campaign for the whole day, ₹500 will be given to each person with dinner,” said Kandula Raghava Rao, a mason of Gudivada in Krishna district.
Demand for women
There was a demand for women in election campaign. Candidates were preferring women for campaigning in rural areas. Mediators were asking women to come for canvassing along with the leaders. In some areas, the contestants were paying ₹800 and above per day, the workers said.
“The situation in some families is horrible as construction works, catering and works in sand quarries have been suspended due to scorching sun and heatwaves,” said P. Pavana, a mediator who was earning close to ₹1500 per day by arranging people for election campaigning in NTR district.
“If we carry children along with us, contestants were paying ₹100 more. We have to carry the party flags, raise slogans in favour of the candidate and party, and distribute brochures and pamphlets to the households,” said S. Bujji, an agriculture labourer of Akiveedu village in West Godavari district.
Meanwhile, construction worker, P. Lakshman Rao, who used to migrate to other districts for work during summer, was seen actively participating in election campaign, and earning about ₹800 a day. “I will go the neighbouring districts along with my wife in search of work. As the construction works are suspended, we are feeding our family by participating in election campaigns,” says Mr. Lakshman Rao of Ongole.
Labourers engaged at aqua ponds were also seen in election campaigns in Undi, Korukollu, Kalla, Kalidindi and other villages in West Godavari, Eluru and other districts.
