Campaign for the elections for the recognised trade union of Singareni Collieries Company Limited has reached a feverish pitch with the campaigning coming to an end on Tuesday at 5 p.m.
The coal mines were closed on Saturday for Dasara, Sunday is weekly-off and also Moharram holiday and Monday is holiday for Gandhi Jayanti. The mining operations had come to grinding halt in entire coal belt region and the miners would return to work only on Tuesday.
Since there are no coal miners at the mining areas the trade unions would be losing three precious days of electioneering during the last days of the campaign. The trade unions have decided to cash in on the prevailing festive mood of the miners and launched door-to-door campaigning in the residential areas.
The trade unions are utilizing the opportunity to distribute ‘Dasara gifts’ (which may include household articles, liquor bottles, cash packets and even food items).
A trade union leader said that the door-to-door campaign would have more impact than the campaigning in the mines by conducting the gate-meetings etc. “By visiting the miners houses, we can distribute the ‘Jammi or Shami’ and also influence the family members to get the miners,” he opined.