Political cheerleaders a hit in Karnataka polls

Neither are they trained for the cheerleading work nor do they sport that Debonair Magazine look, but when they are hired they deliver the goods — they cheer at the right time, scream the name of the party at the right decibels, all the while driving home the name of the candidate to voters.

Picked up by the local party in-charge or some of his supporters down the line, these cheerleaders are drawn mainly from the slums or the middle class locality, and join the trail of the candidate as he campaigns from one locality to another, asking people to caste votes.

Marked by a sense of unbridled enthusiasm, these teams of supporters, are basically entrusted the task of drawing attention of the voters, or announcing the arrival of the candidates with the customary slogan shouting, says a party worker hired with the task of recruiting these supporters.

Many of them still in their teens and many not even having sprouted their first moustache, these campaigners are paid in cash by the day, ranging from Rs 100 to Rs 200.

Work could stretch into long hours and in some cases for just a couple of them, said a young worker. However, what was important was that they were paid at the end of the day with a lot of free lunches and freebies thrown in.