Bhubaneswar, May 20: Lakhs of labourers have come back to their villages to cast vote and been engaged in election campaigning works of all major political parties in Odisha.
Labourers from rural pockets of the state work in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri, Sambalpur, Rourkela and Berhampur.
They were struggling to get work in cities due to implementation of model code of conduct and severe heatwave conditions across the state.
Meanwhile, local political leaders have called them back to village to exercise their franchise and also engaged them in campaigning works.
According to a statistics, over 4 lakh labourers work in different cities and towns of Odisha as daily wager, highest in Bhubaneswar city as construction worker.
The state government imposed restriction on hard work from April due to severe heatwave conditions. Besides, the imposition of model code of conduct restricted new government works.
Now, they are working in erecting tents and other activities like posting of posters, banners of leaders at Rs 500 per day and joining political rallies at Rs 400 in their villages. Some are earning Rs 800 by joining two political gatherings in a day.
After first phase voting in south Odisha districts, the daily workers have returned back to Bhubaneswar, Puri, Cuttack and Sambalpur which are scheduled to go to polls on May 25. Here too they have been engaged in political activities as daily worker.
According to an analysis, the three major political parties – BJP, BJD and Congress are spending around Rs 2000 crore in Odisha and daily workers have a good share from it being engaged in political activities.