BENGALURU:Filmmakers have always wooed auto drivers, politicians are not far behind.On Monday, BJP State President and former CM B S Yeddyurappa took a ride in a rickshaw from his residence in Dollar’s Colony, along with MP of Bengaluru Central P C Mohan and former Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu, to Jasma Bhavan where Bharatiya Janata Party had organised an interaction between the leaders and the drivers.
With Assembly elections just few weeks away, various leaders like him have been meeting and promising goodies to auto-drivers and their family members. This voting segment is considerably large, and can decide victory and defeat of candidates.In Karnataka, there are over 5 lakh auto-rickshaw drivers, including the 1.25 lakh in Bengaluru. This could translate to roughly 20 lakh votes, when family members are included.
There are many auto-rickshaw unions associated with political parties. Drivers who are not part of any union keep changing loyalties and various parties hope to win their ballot.Manjunath is President of Adarsha Auto-rickshaw Drivers Union, which has 16,000 members in Bengaluru alone. They are planning to switch their party affiliations -- from JDS to BJP for this elections.“In a couple of days, we will start surveying various unorganised auto-stands, to know the drivers and their voting family members,” he says, adding that the count will be made using the EPIC numbers, which Election Commission issues
Netas promise welfare board and power
In the recent meet, Yeddyurappa assured that a welfare board would be formed for auto-rickshaw drivers within 24 hours of his party coming to power. The chairman of this board will be picked from among them. He also assured the listeners that they would develop a separate apartment colony for autodrivers. BJP takes credit for having reduced the permit fee from Rs 40,000 to Rs 500, when Yeddyurappa was the chief minister.
JD (S) leaders have made promises too. Recently, former Chief Minister and JD(S) state president HD Kumaraswamy said that he would make the drivers Members of Legislative Council (MLCs) and take them to Vidhana Soudha. He even assured a separate app-based service for auto drivers in Bengaluru, similar to Ola and Uber.
JDS boasts of having introduced accident insurance of `50,000 when H D Deve Gowda was the CM. The party also boasts of having paid down payment for auto-rickshaws when H D Kumaraswamy was the CM.
A senior Congress leader, on condition of anonymity, says their party will be organising an event for the drivers too. He is confident that his party has a larger support base among them: “Siddaramiah’s government has started many schemes like Anna Bhagya, which would have benefited the fraternity,” he says.
Drivers who have entered fray
While parties are trying to woo them, none of them have given an auto driver a ticket to contest. Sampath, who belongs to an auto-drivers’ union, had contested the BBMP election as an independent in 2015. “Every election, various parties use us. They need auto-drivers for publicity. But, once they come to power, they don’t spare a look for us,” he says. Auto driver Ayub Khan is contesting from Shivajinagar constituency, with an Aam Admi Party ticket. “We are not organising big events like the others. I drive to stands, and bus, railway and Metro stations, meeting drivers and appealing for their votes,” he says, claiming that around 12 smaller associations support him.
Union/ party associated
Adarsha Autorickshaw and Taxi Drivers’ Association- BJP/JDS
CITU Auto Union - CPI(M)
Bengaluru Autodrivers’ Association - Congress
Peace Auto - Navabharath Party
Jai Hind Auto Union - Aam Admi Party