KURNOOL: One kilogram of chicken and a quarter bottle of whisky are making voters decide on who they will vote for in the fourth phase of gram panchayat elections being held on Sunday.
In Halaharvy village, six tonnes of chicken and a whisky quarter for each of 1,750 voters have been distributed. Neighbouring Jammalamadugu division has also seen chicken-whisky combo incentivising voters. The story is no different in Mylavaram and Kondapuram mandals of Jammalamadugu, apart from Mantralayam and Adoni constituencies of Kurnool district.
They have seen a surge in distribution of chicken and whisky. Villages in Adoni share their borders with Karnataka and they are also witnessing free flow of cheap liquor.
Though the Special Enforcement Bureau has been focussing on curbing flow of liquor by setting up checkpoints at several vantage points, availability of alcohol is as easy as attempting a song, said Munikrishna, a sarpanch aspirant.
Hatcheries and broiler producers are minting money due to the unexpected surge in demand for birds. A live bird is being sold for Rs 100 in wholesale, while it retails at Rs 160.
Meanwhile, the district administration is all set to conduct the fourth and final phase polling for 265 of total 292 gram panchayats on Sunday in 14 notified mandals of Adoni revenue division.
27 panchayats have been elected unanimously. 844 persons are in contesting in the 265 gram panchayats, district collector G. Veera Pandian said. A large number of police have been deployed to ensure that polling passes off smoothly, he stated.
