THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Living in the midst of penury, the voters in the sleepy forest fringe village of Bonacaud hardly feel the ripples of election promises and campaign heat. With their demands including those regarding pension arrears yet to be addressed, most of the former estate workers and their families are a dejected lot.
Located at the eastern end of the Attingal Lok Sabha constituency, Bonacaud has long been plagued by a myriad of unresolved issues. As the closure of a factory about two decades ago left the estate workers without wages and pensions, many families have started shifting, looking for better wages and living conditions. Yet, with campaign posters and banners making it to a few of its nooks and crannies, the estate village is slowly waking up to the poll fervour.
While sitting MP Adoor Prakash made a visit recently, other candidates are yet to visit the locality. “No candidate for this election has come to meet us so far. Hopefully, they will show up shortly. I used to vote before. Now, with my health ailing, it is difficult,” says 73-year-old Mookkamma.
Most of the former estate workers are eagerly awaiting pension arrears and other benefits. They hope their issues will be addressed once the candidates visit the village. Forest guide Aravindan and his wife Selvi are yet to receive gratuity and pensions while Padmini, another Bonacaud resident, is anxious get her dilapidated roof repaired.
“We are staying here just for the pending arrears. The candidates ensure that we vote every time, but will turn up only when the next elections are due,” says Lakshmi, who lives in a layam.
Despite the visible indifference among the residents, some look forward to the polls earnestly. “I’m eager to vote. We need people who are capable of resolving our issues. The delays in government action regarding pension distribution is part of a broad fiscal constraint,” says Devasahayan.
With elections round the corner, the village’s main junction — which has a little tea stall and a makeshift stationery shop — has more visitors these days. Campaign posters and hoardings of the three candidates — LDF’s V Joy, UDF’s Adoor Prakash and NDA’s V Muraleedharan — have appeared in different parts of the village. On Sunday, the election squad deployed to check for any model code of conduct violation removed posters and campaign material from public buildings.