The political parties went on the top gear to shower freebies and cash to lure voters as the campaign for the general elections came to an end on Tuesday evening.
Voters said that cash in the ranges from ₹1,000 to ₹8, 000 was distributed surreptitiously, depending on the financial status and the ability of the candidates in the fray to lure voters.
However, the money may not translate into votes as the target electorate see this as an opportunity only to make a fast buck.
Money power
“My family has received ₹1,000 per vote from one political party and another candidate has offered ₹ 2,000 per vote. We will collect the money from all but vote for whom we like,” an autorickshaw driver from Madhavadhara told The Hindu under the condition of anonymity.
Same was the case with Savitri (name changed) from Kancharapalem.
“One political party came come to my home late on Monday night and gave us two sarees. On Tuesday morning, cadres of another political party gave us ₹1,500 per vote. We have four voters in our family and we collected the freebies and cash. But, we have not committed to anyone,” Ms. Savitri who ekes out a living as domestic help, said.
Even the political parties appear to know that the cash would not covert into vote.
“Though cash and freebies are doled out, we are sure that all will not get converted to votes. This has been the trend since 2009. We have to do it to try our luck,” a senior leader of a political party said.
The huge tranche of unaccounted cash seized at various check-posts in the district in the run-up to the elections clearly indicate that money is being distributed.
“How such huge tranche of cash is finding its way to voters amid the strict vigil by the election authorities remains a big question,” former bureaucrat E.A.S. Sarma said.
‘Systematic hoarding’
According to a senior officer in the intelligence wing, major political parties began stashing cash for the last two years and it gained pace in the last six months. “Political parties have been hoarding cash systematically—in small quantities on a daily basis,” he said.
The parties also reportedly conducted a survey of sorts while distributing cash to identify the voter base for their own, rival candidates and the neutral segment.
“Cash was paid in smaller denominations to the support base and higher to the neutral category and a few in the opposition base who have the propensity to switch loyalty at the eleventh hour,” a senior worker of a political party said.