JOIN USWorks on construction of buildings have come to a halt. Homemakers are turning to ‘self-help is the best help’ policy, with domestic helps doing the vanishing act.
Over the past week, unorganised labourers and small traders have taken to campaigning for candidates for the Corporation elections, lured by better pay and benefits.
People from villages around Mysore City and slum-dwellers congregate daily near Chamarajapuram Railway Station, Vivekananda Circle, Andolana Circle, Agrahara, Sharadadevi Nagar and other vantage places, seeking daily wage work. Usually, most find it difficult in getting jobs. But, due to elections, all have landed jobs throughout the week. Further, they are paid handsomely apart from being given food and other facilities.
Activists of political parties and supporters of independent candidates have been hiring and ferrying them to campaigning spots.
All that daily wage workers have to do is hold flags and shout slogans. Most of them are paid an average of Rs 500 per day. In some cases, party leaders are complaining that campaigners are not available, despite offering Rs 700 per day.
Vegetable vendor Lokesh said: “For all the labour of investing money for purchasing vegetables from wholesale dealers, pushing the cart on the streets from dawn to dusk, , we hardly get Rs 400 a day. But, during elections, we need not invest any money. They take us in vehicles and drop us back. We get an handsome amount for less labour.”
Domestic helps earn between Rs 1,200 and 1,500 per month. However, the elections have come as a boon for them too. They find no harm in skipping work for a week.
Shantha, a domestic help, said: “My earnings over the past one week from poll campaigning is equal to almost my regular income for a month. I can always go back to work. After all, people need us badly.”
Petrol bunks, restaurants, hotels and autorickshaws have made brisk business. An auto driver said: “Each candidate is using a minimum of 10 autos. There are 433 candidates in the fray for the 65 wards. More than 4,500 autos were involved in the campaign.”
Polls check crime!
The police are wondering if election has anything to do with crime. The election code of conduct is in effect from February 15 to March 11.
One case of chain-snatching was reported on February 15. But since then, there have been no incidents of the crime. An average of eight to 10 chain-snatching cases per month are reported in Mysore City. Sometimes, three to four such cases are reported on the same day.