Kadus: Khed taluka has seen an increase in the use of daily wage campaigners for election campaigning.
The 'acche din' (good days) have come for the daily wage campaigners as they do not get as much money as they can for a few hours of campaigning.
There are a significant number of women. In Khed taluka, there is a picture of the 'Ladki Bahin' stepping out of the house on a daily wage for campaigning.
Campaigning for the assembly elections has now picked up pace. Corner meetings, public meetings and campaign rallies are being organised. A flurry of candidate identity cards is underway.
By crowding campaign rallies, the candidate's popularity has been shown in the crowd. Workers are being called in to pay for this. The amount of money you don't get from working all day is being given to a few hours of campaigning.
The trend of crowding campaign rallies, public meetings and rallies and bringing daily wage workers for campaigning has been followed in Khed taluka for a few years to show that their candidate has a 'wind'. How can this year's assembly election be an exception?
Chairs are often shown empty at meetings through social media. There is criticism that the crowd is small. To avoid this risk, funds are being used to mobilise crowds by bringing in tenant campaigners with money in Khed taluka.
Rs 300-500 per day is given for four to five hours to participate in meetings and campaign rounds. There are vehicles to transport. A bottle of water, breakfast or food is also being offered.
With caps on their heads, party punches around their necks and party flags in their hands, the campaign of the mercenaries continues in full swing. There are a significant number of women. There is a large participation of needy women working in the fields in small hamlets and hamlets in Thakarvasti, villages.
They have the task of bringing women
The responsibility of gathering women for the meeting is entrusted to the shopkeepers of the village, women working for self-help groups, ASHA workers, anganwadi workers, the head of the women's group working in the fields. They are being paid extra for this.
We want to work anywhere. Sometimes I get Rs 300 and sometimes Rs 500 per day for campaigning. We have nothing to do with any party or a candidate.
We work because we get two bucks in less time. Sometimes if you campaign for one today, tomorrow you hold the flag of the candidate against him. A Labour campaigner, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said she was ready to take up any flag for labour.
