Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
With just a day left for voting in the Phulambri Nagar Panchayat elections, the announcement late Sunday night that the election had been postponed created a stir in the town. Candidates contesting for the posts of Nagaradhyaksha (Municipal Council Chief) and Nagar Sevak (Councillor) were gripped with anxiety. After spending lakhs of rupees on an intense ten-day campaign, candidates expressed both anger and frustration over the sudden postponement.
Three candidates, including an independent, were in the fray for the post of Nagaradhyaksha. For the 17 councillor seats, as many as 55 candidates were contesting. Over the past ten days, candidates had been campaigning vigorously moving through localities, hamlets, and lanes from early morning until midnight. Various strategies were used to attract voters, leaving no stone unturned.
The expenditure by candidates contesting for the councillor seats was also significant. Huge amounts were spent on banners, posters, loudspeakers, pandals, and manifestos. To keep their campaign machinery running smoothly, many candidates arranged food for their workers both vegetarian and non-vegetarian along with alcohol. As voting day approached, discussions about cash distribution to voters gained momentum. In some wards, reports surfaced that the “price” of one vote had gone up to Rs 5,000, with suggestions that in some areas, the rate was even higher.
Against this backdrop, the sudden postponement of the election just a day before voting has caused a major financial setback for the candidates. With the election now scheduled 20 days later, candidates regret that all their previous spending has gone to waste. They now face the challenge of arranging fresh funds, and the concern of having to spend even more money to keep their campaign machinery active.
Code of Conduct relaxed in the City
Once the postponement was announced on Sunday night, the election code of conduct in the city automatically became inactive. The election department will announce details of the revised election process, which will now take place on December 4. Until then, the code of conduct will not be in force in the town.