Keeping candidates & crowd happy comes at a cost

GROUND-level workers of political parties are struggling to meet the expectations of their candidates and the public during election campaigns.

- S KUMARESAN

While candidates demand a huge enthusiastic crowd, rising temperature and hectic schedule stand as hitches. Additionally, it all comes at a cost, which is often borne by the local functionaries.

On a scorching summer morning last week, around 150 people, largely women, had gathered near Sriperumbudur bus stand. They were assembled by the local functionaries of the a Dravidian major since a star campaigner from one of the parties was supposed to campaign at the spot around 10 am.

It was past 11.30 am when TNIE visited the spot. The women were already tired. One of them said they were brought with the assurance that they could disperse within an hour or two. "We are now informed that it will take another two hours for the leader to reach.

There is no clarity about lunch.

We have not even been offered water," she lamented.