In the run-up to the Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections, MGNREGA workers in the state have become hot commodities for political parties. Recognizing the need for manpower during the campaign period, MLA and MP candidates are offering attractive incentives to MGNREGA workers to join their ranks.
Traditionally earning around ₹300 per day through MGNREGA work, these workers are now being offered between ₹500 and ₹600 per day by candidates to campaign for them. The candidates are also providing three meals a day and, in some cases, even liquor to entice the workers.
In addition to their regular duties, the workers are expected to double as party workers, carrying election materials, waving party flags at rallies, and participating in roadshows. According to P. Govind, a senior CPI(M) leader, these workers are actively engaged in campaign activities in several districts.
K.A. Naidu, an MGNREGA job card holder who has accepted the offer of a political party in the Anakapalli Lok Sabha segment, said he now has the flexibility to choose between MGNREGA work and political campaigning. His wife attends MGNREGA works while he campaigns for the political leaders.
Officials from the Rural Development Department have reported a noticeable drop in the MGNREGA workforce, with 1.46 lakh job card holders in the Anakapalli district alone. The government has adjusted working hours until the end of May to prevent sunstroke, and each worker is paid ₹300 per day. However, the decline in workforce raises concerns about the availability of manpower for rural development projects.
A YSRCP leader asserted that manpower is indispensable during the election campaign, but they are not coercing workers to join them. Only those who express interest are hired, and MGNREGA workers may be among them. In the face of soaring temperatures, political parties are seeking foot soldiers and have hired daily wagers from villages to meet their campaign needs.
