WESTERN MP: MIGRATION MAIN CAUSE OF CONCERN

100% TURNOUT STILL A DISTANT DREAM FOR EC

Migration from western Madhya Pradesh, especially from remote areas, has been a major cause of concern for parties, local administration in state

Migration of tribal to other states in search of employment and better livelihood is the major poll plank in this region.

With the administration of the district, which shares boundary with Gujarat and Maharashtra, is leaving no stone unturned to bring back voters to their native place and raise voting percentage, it seems their efforts are not sufficient as migration is still going on.

Even after the authorities in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh have promised to take care of migrant workers’ wages to encourage them to return home to vote, it’s still a distant dream to raise voting percentage in the area as migration after Diwali is still on.

Baliya Bhil, a labour working in Dahod, who visited his native place Petlawad for Dilwali along with his wife and three kids, said: “We know there is an election, but there is no work in Petlawad, so no point staying back. Also, the wages in Madhya Pradesh are half of what they give in Gujarat, which is around `400 for unskilled work.”

He is unsure whether he will come back for voting, saying, “If I’ve to come here just for voting, it will cost me two days’ wage. Also, I can’t leave my kids there (Dahod) alone, so I’ve to bear bus fare for them. If someone gives me the fare and compensate my daily wages for two days, I will come back as we also wanted to vote,” he said.

Titliya Meda, another tribal waiting for bus along with his family members said at Pittole bus stand, waiting for bus to Gujarat, said: “It gives us immense pleasure to know we don’t go unnoticed by the government and someone actually cares us but only during election time. What about remaining 58 months, when we go to some other places in search of employment.”

For the administration, it’s mammoth task to ensure good voting percentage this time after Jhabua-Alirajpur and Barwani districts of western Madhya Pradesh witnessed voting percentages between 53% and 57% in 2013 compared to the state polling percentage of 72.66%.

Recently, 11 teams comprising one CEO of each Janpad Pacnhayat and four sub-engineers had visited different towns and cities of neigbouring Gujarat to bring migratory voters back to the state.

One of the teams said migration is an orthodox issue in the rural state but it seems to come to front in the light of the upcoming elections. The Election Commission has been working on 100% voter turnout, and has sent teams to communicate with migrants in the nearby states.

Even a team of government employees visited each tribal door steps with ‘Peeli Chawal’ reminding them of the promise to vote.

Notably, three districts had total nine assembly constituencies with four in Barwani, three Jhabua and two in Alirajpur districts and the BJP win in seven while Congress satisfied with two wins in 2013. However, low turnout here could upset poll calculation for both Congress and BJP in the state.

Migration is a major issue, which the ruling BJP has failed to address in its 15 years reign. Had the ruling party created jobs, this migration, which spawns various problems, would have stopped. — VIKANT BHURIA, Congress candidate from Jhabua

“It is not really migration. They go to earn and then come back. People move from one state to another all the time.” He adds the administration is trying to bring the migrants back to vote. —GUMAN SINGH DAMOR, BJP candidate from Jhabua