KENDRAPARA: If a major share of blame was apportioned on migrant workers for spread of COVID-19 barely a year back, it is the same lot which is being coaxed to return home for the panchayat elections next month. Reason, migrant population comprises a large chunk of vote bank in rural belt and candidates of major political parties harp on them to win.
As per reports, a large number of workers including plumbers, masons and weavers from the district working across the country are planning to be back home to exercise their franchise. However, political parties are leaving no stone unturned to convince them to come home and vote.
"We are sparing no efforts to woo the migrant workers. Many BJD leaders are in touch with such workers in New Delhi and other places," said president of BJD district unit Utkal Keshari Parida. The BJP too is leaving nothing to chance.
"We have prepared a list of migrant workers in rural areas and urged many of them to return home to cast their votes for BJP candidates," said senior party leader and the former MLA of Rajnagar Alekha Jena.
The parties are also reportedly spending generously to ensure the migrants from villages in Aul, Rajkanika, Pattamundai, Rajnagar, Mahakalapada, Garadapur, Marsaghai and Derabishi blocks cast votes. But the workers feel the state government has so far failed them by doing nothing for their welfare.
"The BJD government has failed to set up big industries in the State due to which several educated youths work in other states," Jiban Behera, a former worker of Baladevjew power loom, said.
The power loom at Kendrapara was closed a few years back as a result of which around 4,000 weavers lost their jobs. "Due to closure of the power loom, the workers were forced to move to Surat. The migrant weavers will vote for BJP and Congress for zilla parishad seats to teach BJD a lesson," Behera said assertively.
However, the BJD is confident that steps taken by the government for welfare of workers will pay off. Most of the migrant workers from the district are plumbers.
Three years back, Labour Minister Susant Singh had inaugurated the Migration Support and Resource Center (MSRC) in Kendrapara town to help plumbers and other migrant workers of the district who work in other states and countries.
The plumbers of Kendrapara district have been dominating the sanitary business both in India and abroad for decades and these people return home after earning well.
The State Institute of Plumbing and Technology (SIPT) established at Pattamundai in 2010 helped the youths of the district learn more about modern plumbing technology to compete with other plumbers from other states. Many trained plumbers of SIPT have already got jobs in construction, water and sanitation companies.
Due to this, several workers will vote for BJD, said Dhruba Sahoo, a senior BJD leader and MLA of Rajnagar. In the last rural poll, BJD had won 22 zilla parishad seats out of 32 . This election, the party is hoping to grab all the seats, he said.