"A pauper can’t represent us": Votes for sale in Bhavnagar

BHAVNAGAR, FEB 21: This coastal town smells of big money, and so does the election scene here. With the money spinning industries of shipbre...

BHAVNAGAR, FEB 21: This coastal town smells of big money, and so does the election scene here. With the money spinning industries of shipbreaking and diamond polishing (combined turnover approximately Rs 650 crore) having produced more millionaires than one can count, the candidates for the Bhavnagar Lok Sabha constituency have moneyed patrons backing them. The result is that the candidates have reportedly embarked on a buying spree’ to win votes.

Thus despite the stringent measures of the Election Commission, it is believed that by the end of the campaigning a whopping Rs 70 lakh to Rs 1 crore would have changed hands in at least 1,000 villages and in more than a dozen important talukas.

Moreover, money has become all the more important because the contest between the BJP and Congress candidates is close. The Rashtriya Janata Party (RJD) candidate too has managed to make a dent in some voting blocks and victory now depends on which party can mobilise a larger number of people to actually vote for them.And money, parties believe, can weave enough magic to draw the voter out of his home on the day of the polling.

“Money is no problem at all…There are a large number of financiers for the candidate who has a chance of winning the seat. The actual problem is with the proper utilisation of the money, without upsetting election officers,” said a senior political leader who is now canvassing for a candidate.

In the fray are Rajendrasinh Rana, RSS pracharak who reached New Delhi on the BJP ticket last time, and Shaktisinh Gohil, the Congress’ Young Turk who has graduated from Assembly to Parliament. Making things difficult for both of them, of course, is Somabhai Gandabhai Patel Koli of the RJP. Somabhai moved from neighbouring Surendranagar district in the belief that the Kolis would carry him to Parliament.

To make sure that all Kolis in Bhavnagar know him by his caste, he has suffixed Koli’ to his name. At the party offices of the BJP and Congress, luxury cars and mobile phones are also seen inplenty.

Pracharak-turned-parliamentarian Rana crisscroses the vast constituency in Maruti Esteems and Tata Estates, while the flamboyant Gohil races through sleepy, thirsty and backward villages in a new Ford Escort. Somabhai Koli, however, prefers an Esteem and Cielo.

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As soon one raises the issue of money power in the election, Rana and Somabhai pooh-pooh the contention. But Gohil confirms the rumours though he refuses to divulge the name of the party and the candidateAn inquiry by this correspondent revealed that during the last election, election agents of at least two important candidates had insisted on seeing the seal on the back of each ballot paper. An officer who supervised the last election said this was “because the seal carries the number of the booths through which the name of the village or the area can be known. By comparing each vote with the booth number, the exact number of votes cast in favour of a candidate in a particular area can be known.”

According to reports, last time apart of the money was paid in advance to the agewan’ and after verifying the exact number of votes cast in favour, the balance was paid accordingly. Those who failed to bring in the required number of voters were not paid the remaining amount. It is believed that as the election date draws near, the rates for votes will go up. “A pauper cannot represent Bhavnagar in the Lok Sabha. It is a seat worth weighing in gold,” a diamond polishing industry owner pointed out.