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Assembly polls 2012: Money power at work in Punjab?
Much against the expectations it is the rural Punjab that participated in the polling rather overwhelmingly making observers conjecture whether it was the money power or the ‘Dera’ power that came into play.
While all major cities recorded polling between 57 and 72 %, it was in the rural segments, mainly in the Malwa belt, that the polling crossed 80 %.
Forty two of the 68 seats in the Malwa region, where the gap between the rich and the poor is too wide, recorded more than 80% polling
As against Amritsar West posting 57% polling, Jalandhar West recording 68%, Hoshiarpur 71%, Ludhiana 68%, Bathinda 73% and Patiala 68%, the rural constituencies such as Guru Har Sahai (89%), Rampura Phul (87%), Jalalabad (86%), Gidderbaha (88%) Dakha (84 %) sprung a major surprise in terms of voters turn-out.
The turn-out has been unusually high in the rural and backward parts of the state making observers wonder if it was the money or inspiration of the “deras’ that drove them out their homes in hordes.
Corruption and Anna Hazare factors seemed to have had little impact on voters in Punjab.
The Dera Sacha Sauda, Dera Sachkhand and the Dera Radha Sowami are among the major deras that enjoy an overwhelming number of followers in the rural parts of the state. All senior political leaders have been bending over backward to please them all giving ample signals that more than the development or other issues, it was important to placate the dera chiefs to pocket their vote bank.
Besides, blatant use of money power to bribe voters in the rural segments, particularly in the Malwa region, looks pronounced this time. Senior leaders have been openly talking about the price of votes in their segments. The voters who were allegedly paid between Rs1,000 and Rs1,500 each, mostly belonged to the working class and the backward classes.
Election officials recovered more than Rs38 crore cash in raids during the days of campaign.
Much against the expectations it is the rural Punjab that participated in the polling rather overwhelmingly making observers conjecture whether it was the money power or the ‘Dera’ power that came into play.
While all major cities recorded polling between 57 and 72 %, it was in the rural segments, mainly in the Malwa belt, that the polling crossed 80 %.
Forty two of the 68 seats in the Malwa region, where the gap between the rich and the poor is too wide, recorded more than 80% polling
As against Amritsar West posting 57% polling, Jalandhar West recording 68%, Hoshiarpur 71%, Ludhiana 68%, Bathinda 73% and Patiala 68%, the rural constituencies such as Guru Har Sahai (89%), Rampura Phul (87%), Jalalabad (86%), Gidderbaha (88%) Dakha (84 %) sprung a major surprise in terms of voters turn-out.
The turn-out has been unusually high in the rural and backward parts of the state making observers wonder if it was the money or inspiration of the “deras’ that drove them out their homes in hordes.
Corruption and Anna Hazare factors seemed to have had little impact on voters in Punjab.
The Dera Sacha Sauda, Dera Sachkhand and the Dera Radha Sowami are among the major deras that enjoy an overwhelming number of followers in the rural parts of the state. All senior political leaders have been bending over backward to please them all giving ample signals that more than the development or other issues, it was important to placate the dera chiefs to pocket their vote bank.
Besides, blatant use of money power to bribe voters in the rural segments, particularly in the Malwa region, looks pronounced this time. Senior leaders have been openly talking about the price of votes in their segments. The voters who were allegedly paid between Rs1,000 and Rs1,500 each, mostly belonged to the working class and the backward classes.
Election officials recovered more than Rs38 crore cash in raids during the days of campaign.
