Bhopal: As the state is heading for the assembly elections, the speculations or risk of influencing voters is running high. One of the means, which is commonly heard in slum areas, is liqour distribution that actually affects the lives of slum-dwellers. The women and children of such slum areas are now coming out openly against such practices and have put up posters in their houses which read, “Do not come seeking votes against liquor”.
Even communities like Pardi, which is considered as one of the deprived lots of the state, can be seen talking about the elections. “We have seen in the past that liqour is distributed in slums before any election to influence the votes but we will not entertain any such person in our shanties,” said a minor boy of Pardi community.
“Liqour has ruined many lives hence it should not be promoted. As an initiative during the polls, such means do no good to us,” said a woman in Gandhi Nagar slum area who also is creating awareness through campaigning in the area. Women and children are an “enlightened” lot, who are seen running campaigns against poll sops especially liquor.
Anshu Gupta, a resident of Baghsewania area said , “I have noticed my maid discussing politics with me and others in the neighbourhood. She said women and children were the actual sufferers of the after-effects of liqour hence they are now campaigning in their areas against such efforts to fetch their votes. It’s a positive sign that they are asking for their basic needs instead of falling for such tricks, she added.
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GOING BACK IN TIME
Ghulam Nabi
“The mighty British had failed to finish off the Congress, the BJP is a daydreamer. I wanna ask those BJP leaders who demonstrated at Connaught Place during the UPA regime, where are they today when their government is unable to check the price rice of essential items.We respect CM Chouhan and also PM Modi, but they had failed to perform their duties for which they had been given mandate by Indians. Faces are always deceptive,”
Former Union minister Ghulam Nabi at a rally in Bhopal
POLL NAMA
Shivraj Singh Chouhan
The absence of a rival contender from the Congress, allows the BJP a chance to showcase Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan as the biggest leader in Madhya Pradesh. In 2005, he replaced Babulal Gaur — the successor to the firebrand former CM Uma Bharti — and has never seen back. His social schemes such as the Ladli Lakshmi Yojana, seen as one empowering girls, earned him the nickname “mama”, which the party’s campaign has leveraged to the hilt when referring to him in every election since.