Free flights & Yadadri trip: Parties go all out to get voters to booth in Munugode

MUNUGODE: The ground in Munugode is abuzz with ‘costly’ offers. From flight tickets to a spiritual trip to Yadadri, all major political parties are going to great lengths to ensure voters are back home in Munugode on polling day.
In a high-stakes political battle, every vote counts and parties don’t want to lose supporters because they are not in town. “Some voters might find it difficult to travel to their hometown. A flight ticket makes it easy for people living in nearby cities such as
Bengaluru and Chennai to vote and go back. Even locally, if a family living in the assembly segment has several voters and their polling places are far away, arrangements have already been made. Cars and autos are ready for them,” said Raju P (name changed), a polling booth worker in Puttapaka village of Samsthan Narayanpur.
“But not all get this offer. Local leaders are approaching only those who they believe will vote for their party,” said K Ravi Kumar (name changed), a part-time campaigner for all parties on a daily fee basis.
This 23-year-old graduate from Malkapur village in Choutuppal mandal claimed that all the major parties have offered at least 50 such “tickets” to voters from each of the eight mandals.
Some parties have reportedly gone so far as to organise spiritual trips for voters to the Yadadri temple and make them swear on God to vote for them.
“This is poll management after the campaign ends. It is difficult for parties to convince voters and bring them to polling booths,” said SK Venkat Reddy, a former Congress party activist.
Parties are tailoring their offerings to voters’ expectations and the level of seriousness required to persuade them. Wall clocks, umbrellas and candy packets have already been distributed.
“Women were also given bindi packets with a plea for vote, but most remain silent on their choice,” said Aruna Karunkar (name changed), a self-help group member from Indurthi village of Marriguda mandal.