THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Election fever is fast gripping the state, especially after the Congress announced most of its candidates on Saturday. Most migrant labourers, who have the biggest presence in Kerala among all states, however, are less enthusiastic about getting back to their native places to cast votes. Not those from Assam and it has its reason: They believe exercising their franchise would help them win their identity at a time when the National Register of Citizens (NRC) is being finalised in the north-eastern state.
The purpose of updating the NRC is to identify the illegal residents after migrants entered Assam on March 24, 1971.
A lot of migrants from Assam who work in Kerala, mostly in the plywood factories, in laterite mining, hospitality and construction sectors, have their names missing from the NRC even though they find them on the voters list. A certain others have it the other way round.
Centre for Migration and Inclusive Development’s Executive Director Benoy Peter told Express: “Unlike the local body or Assembly polls, the chances of migrant workers returning home for parliament elections is very remote as majority of them are politically excluded from the mainstream.”
Centre for Migration and Inclusive Development’s Executive Director Benoy Peter said: “In the case of Assam this time, it’s true there would be major outflow mainly to ensure their names in the voters list. Since there’s an identity crisis for many of the Assam migrants due to the NRC, it’s important for them to be part of the electoral process,” he said.
Nagaon-Kochi and Murshidabad-Kochi have emerged as the two longest migrant corridors in the country in the last two decades. The Centre is campaigning for more voters to cast their vote, but Murshidabad, West Bengal, native Mahatab Mondal, who works as a helper in Ernakulam district, said he would go in the festival season. “Had it been panchayat election, I would’ve gone,” he said.