Gram Panchayat elections turns homecoming for these villagers

It was a sort of homecoming for migrant workers from Badami, Guledagudda, Hungund, and Ilkal taluk, courtesy gram panchayat election. The candidates who contested the election brought these workers from their respective places of work to ensure votes.

A majority of the people from rural parts of the above taluks have migrated to the Goa, Mangaluru, Bengaluru and Ratnagiri district in Maharashtra in search of livelihood. Two deluxe buses had brought these workers to Thimmasagara from Bengaluru and Manglauru. Several buses that brought these ‘voters’ were seen parked on the outskirts of the village.

A resident of Thimmasagara said that his village was almost empty and had become home to only children and elders. He said that more than 250 people of the village were ferried from Bengaluru (one bus) and Mangaluru (three buses) for voting in the elections to gram panchayat.

“I have been working as a housemaid at Kodikal in Mangaluru for the past 15 years. I stay alone there and my family is in the village. But I come to the village for every election to cast vote,” said Dyamavva Devaramani of Thimmasagara.

Kanakappa, who had brought the voters, said that his bus left Kottara Chowki in Mangaluru last night and that a total of 67 people travelled in his vehicle.