Candidates ensure that party workers are treated well and are not wooed by rivals in their respective wards.
Despite several restrictions laid down by the State Election Commission to check candidates' expenses for the civic elections, they are showing no signs of slowing down as far as pandering to party workers and the campaign team, who do the legwork, is concerned.
Candidates ensure that party workers are treated well and are not wooed by rivals in their respective wards. "Candidates ensure workers are well taken care of during campaigning. These workers are offered beverages, lunch and dinner. A certain section of workers are also given non-vegetarian dinners and liquor. Although the candidates find themselves in a tight spot, we have to relent at times and fulfil their wishes," said a senior team leader of a candidate.
Explaining why it is important to take good care of the campaign team, a party leader said, "We have unemployed youths, homemakers, senior citizens and dedicated party workers. It is only obvious that unemployed youths do all the legwork, while homemakers and senior citizens add value to the campaign team as they visit each home with the candidate and speak in the language voters are comfortable in. Also, some of them know the voters personally. We ensure members of the campaign team are given good, hygienic food."
However, to set aside a daily budget for about 50-60 workers, apart from the core campaign team, candidates have found ways to work around the campaign expenditure restriction by tying up with private establishments, hotels and self-help groups in the area. While women self-help groups are usually given daily contracts to provide light snacks, hotels provide meals according to the requirement or as 'political donation'.
According to the list of rates provided by SEC, candidates can spend up to Rs 8 for a cup of tea or coffee, Rs 15 for light snacks, and up to Rs 70 for a meal.
The commission will keep a strict vigil on candidates' expenditure, making it difficult for candidates to find loopholes to adjust the expenditure declared.
Though the expenditure limit was increased from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh for 'A' category candidates, the expenditure limit was last revised in 2012 — from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. At that time, the limit was increased four-fold from 2007.
Though on the face of it, most candidates maintained that campaign team came out to help as a gesture of goodwill, a party worker in Dadar said that he gets between Rs 250-300 daily depending on the assistance he provides to the candidate. "We are divided into teams according to the demography and the area. We are engaged in hard work — from distributing pamphlets to campaigning for candidates," said the worker, adding that they are happy earning a quick buck and getting a meal.
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