A very surprising case has come to light after the elections in the 10th ward of Ashwaravupet Municipality of Bhadradri Kothagudam district of Telangana. A Congress Party candidate has demanded back the cookers and cash distributed before the elections to those voters who did not vote for him. This incident has created a stir in the area. After which the angry voters placed cookers on the road and raised slogans and accused the candidate of social boycott and humiliation. This incident happened soon after the elections were over, when it had been decided who had got the votes.
Argument between party supporters and voters
The election atmosphere in the 10th ward of Ashwaravupet Municipality suddenly turned tense after supporters of the Congress candidate visited the voters’ homes and issued a strange ultimatum. He said that those who did not vote for the party should immediately return the items and money received during the election campaign. A fierce debate broke out regarding this demand between the candidate’s supporters and the local voters.
Are we a commodity??– local voter
Voters present at the spot told that before the elections they were given cookers and money to get votes, but when the voting took place and the results became clear, the candidate’s team took out the anger of its failure on the voters. The voters who took to the streets gathered cookers and raised loud slogans. One voter said angrily, ‘They are asking us for money and cooker, are we a commodity? Why are you insulting us when we did not get votes? Is it not our choice to vote in a democracy?
It is shameful to ask back the items given to voters.
Municipal elections in Telangana often witness heated debates, but demanding return of distributed goods is a very rare and shameful incident. This matter shows the declining level of political morality. In areas like Ashwaravpet, where family politics and local connections are important, this incident could prove to be embarrassing for the Congress as well. In the recent past, the Election Commission had taken strict action on ‘notes for votes’, but this new prescription of ‘return of goods’ after the elections raises a big question for political etiquette.
Election Commission should take action
The most shocking thing in this entire episode is how political parties come to know who voted for whom or not, because the voting process is kept secret. If a candidate gives anything to the voters for votes then it is wrong and the Election Commission should take cognizance of this matter and take strict action against these candidates.
What steps will the party leadership take regarding the incident??
The anger of the voters is justified, because in a democracy, voting is everyone’s birth right, not a bargain. Now it remains to be seen what action the higher leadership of the party takes in this matter and whether any action is taken against the candidate. At present the local police has controlled the situation, but the atmosphere in the 10th Ward is still heated.
