<p>Bengaluru: With the Bihar Legislative Assembly elections drawing near, the Prashant Kishor-led Jan Suraaj party (JSP) is making a targeted pitch to the massive Bihari migrant population in Bengaluru, urging them to return home and vote for “education and employment.”</p>.<p>Over 100 volunteers have distributed more than 40,000 campaign pamphlets across areas with high Bihari presence.</p>.<p>The outreach covered key areas like Sarjapur, Electronics City, Whitefield, R T Nagar, Babusipalya, and Yeshwanthpur. Dr Nischith K R, the party’s convener, told DH, “In Industrial Peenya alone, around 4,000 workers have been covered. In Doddanekkundi, there is a place called Chhota Bihar where the maximum Biharis are cooking professionals.”</p>.<p>He added that Yeshwantpur is a major transportation hub for Biharis and their presence in Whitefield is primarily in white-collar jobs.</p>.<p>Despite the political interest, a major hurdle remains the lack of adequate travel arrangements for migrants keen to exercise their franchise. </p>.<p>He further pointed out that the main challenge is getting train tickets, and whoever manages to get them has to travel in overcrowded conditions (without much accommodation).</p>.EC issues notice to Prashant Kishor over name in voter lists of both Bihar and West Bengal.<p>Getting leave from contractors or employers is also a major hurdle. Since the elections are after 15 days of Chhath Puja, extending leave is particularly tough. This lack of transport and financial assistance is the main concern for daily wage workers.</p>.<p>“The train tickets are expensive, and the special trains are already full. If I take two days off work for travel, it means my family loses Rs 1,000 in wages,” said Ramesh Singh, a construction worker near Sarjapur. </p>.<p>Another migrant, Mohammad Zakhir from a transportation hub in Yeshwantpur, said, “We want to vote for change, but who will pay for the journey? My old party promised to send us home last time, but this year, everyone is silent.”</p>.<p>“The change we need right now is guaranteed ticket and paid leave. If I leave work without permission, my contractor will hire someone else the next day, and I will lose my job entirely,” said Pramod Kumar, a painter working in Whitefield.</p>.<p>“Every election, it is the same story. We save our money for Chhath Puja, but the elections are just after. The few special trains are full, and if we take a general ticket, we travel like sheep,” Ajay Yadav, a security guard near Electronics City, said.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: With the Bihar Legislative Assembly elections drawing near, the Prashant Kishor-led Jan Suraaj party (JSP) is making a targeted pitch to the massive Bihari migrant population in Bengaluru, urging them to return home and vote for “education and employment.”</p>.<p>Over 100 volunteers have distributed more than 40,000 campaign pamphlets across areas with high Bihari presence.</p>.<p>The outreach covered key areas like Sarjapur, Electronics City, Whitefield, R T Nagar, Babusipalya, and Yeshwanthpur. Dr Nischith K R, the party’s convener, told DH, “In Industrial Peenya alone, around 4,000 workers have been covered. In Doddanekkundi, there is a place called Chhota Bihar where the maximum Biharis are cooking professionals.”</p>.<p>He added that Yeshwantpur is a major transportation hub for Biharis and their presence in Whitefield is primarily in white-collar jobs.</p>.<p>Despite the political interest, a major hurdle remains the lack of adequate travel arrangements for migrants keen to exercise their franchise. </p>.<p>He further pointed out that the main challenge is getting train tickets, and whoever manages to get them has to travel in overcrowded conditions (without much accommodation).</p>.EC issues notice to Prashant Kishor over name in voter lists of both Bihar and West Bengal.<p>Getting leave from contractors or employers is also a major hurdle. Since the elections are after 15 days of Chhath Puja, extending leave is particularly tough. This lack of transport and financial assistance is the main concern for daily wage workers.</p>.<p>“The train tickets are expensive, and the special trains are already full. If I take two days off work for travel, it means my family loses Rs 1,000 in wages,” said Ramesh Singh, a construction worker near Sarjapur. </p>.<p>Another migrant, Mohammad Zakhir from a transportation hub in Yeshwantpur, said, “We want to vote for change, but who will pay for the journey? My old party promised to send us home last time, but this year, everyone is silent.”</p>.<p>“The change we need right now is guaranteed ticket and paid leave. If I leave work without permission, my contractor will hire someone else the next day, and I will lose my job entirely,” said Pramod Kumar, a painter working in Whitefield.</p>.<p>“Every election, it is the same story. We save our money for Chhath Puja, but the elections are just after. The few special trains are full, and if we take a general ticket, we travel like sheep,” Ajay Yadav, a security guard near Electronics City, said.</p>