Parties are identifying pockets backing their rivals to buy them with money
Nellore: With just four days left for the polls in Seemandhra, political parties are gearing up to distribute gifts to voters despite the police and election authorities keeping a close watch. They are also making use of Akshaya Tritiya to distribute goodies.
But the leaders are adopting a different strategy this time, thanks to the lessons learnt during the 2012 by-elections. In 2012, all the mainline parties were vying with each other to distribute cash to voters, especially in rural areas and slums. The voters silently accepted the gifts from everyone as refusal would indicate their choice. But notwithstanding the cash received, they stuck to their choice causing heartburn to the losers.
This made political parties change their plans this time. According to sources, the parties have started identifying pockets backing their rivals in a bid to buy them with money. “No one can influence our vote banks. Our aim is to target our rival’s strongholds,” a party leader said. But he had no answer when asked as to what will happen if his opponents also did the same thing.
There are also plans to buy the booth agents of opponents. The Congress, the TD and the YSRC are involved in this, with the last two leading as the contest is mainly between them in most seats.
Candidates are also planning to distribute earrings and nose studs containing small quantities of gold to voters through jewellery shops making use of Akshaya Tritiya. The items will be given when the voters produce a slip given by the candidates at the shops.
As the Congress is on the backfoot this time, it is the TD and YSRC which are behind this, sources said.
