Vijayawada: As the campaigning for the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh is in its final days, mainstream political parties have taken to their last resort in many districts luring voters with gifts and money. The YSRC, which lost power due to a difference of only six lakh votes in 2014 is leaving no stone unturned to get every vote it can manage to.
Local leaders in villages, mandals and municipalities are offering at least Rs 25,000 to families which have at least 4 voters. The amount is larger if a family has more voters.
The TD had secured 102 seats and the BJP four with the support of the Jana Sena in 2014. The alliance got a total of 48 per cent votes in 2014, of which the TD alone secured 40.8 per cent. In the current elections, the TD, BJP and the JS are contesting separately and the TD leaders are apprehensive of how the split is going to affect the party.
The traditional BC and Kapu vote bank of the TD is expected to split owing to its competition with the JS. Similarly, the JS-BSP alliance is anticipated to affect the traditional Dalit and Christian vote banks of the YSRC.
In 2014, the TD secured 102 seats with 1,33,72,539 votes and the YSRC secured 67 seats with 1,27,71,323 votes and consequently, the YSRC lost power to the TD by 60,153 votes. The two main political parties have, therefore pushed, the local leaders into action to attract voters as even one per cent margin can change the fate of candidates.
According to reports, local leaders have already started distributing Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 per voter and are planning to offer Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 in the second phase in the Assembly constituencies where a tight contest is expected between the TD and YSRC candidates. In the previous elections, the YSRC lost 46 seats with a margin of 300 to 10,000 votes. It won 26 seats with a margin of five to 12 votes. The TD won 14 Assembly seats with a difference of 800 to 5,000 votes in 2014. With the margins being narrow, the two parties are taking every possible step to sway the votes in their favour. The doles include cash, gold, silver and sports kits.
A source said that a political party was offering up to Rs 3 lakh to its leaders who could influence 50 voters and up to Rs 5 lakh for 100 votes. The amounts for mandal leaders go up to Rs 10 lakh Rs 50 lakh. For leaders with influence in municipalities, Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1 crore is being offered.
