On the eve of polling in the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, a group of voters staged a protest on Sunday demanding money for votes. The concept of "notes for votes" is not new in Telugu states; as inflation rose, the price of votes also rose.
Polling begins in AP for 175 assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats. Campaigning concluded on Saturday evening, but money distribution continued in some places. Voters in Sattenapalli of Palnadu district staged protests and expressed dissatisfaction on the streets.
Also Read | Andhra CM Jagan Mohan Reddy, TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu cast votes.
Voters Protest Over Unpaid Cash For Vote
According to the Times of India report, protesters claimed that they were promised money in exchange of votes, which they have not received. This has led to a confrontation with local leaders and has drawn attention to the broader issue of corruption within the electoral system. A political party, in its efforts to secure victory against its rival candidate in Pithapuram constituency, has allegedly resorted to unethical tactics.
The party supporters promised Rs 5,000 per vote in the Pithapuram constituency. But they gave money to a few and ignored other voters. Following this, a few women staged a protest in front of the political party's office.
The situation escalated when voters surrounded the office, accusing party leaders of failing to deliver on their promises of monetary compensation for votes. The police intervened to disperse the crowd.
Price ranges across AP in some of the constituencies:Vijayawada East: Rs 1,000 – Rs 2,000Vijayawada Central: Rs 1,000 – Rs 1,500Vijayawada West: Rs 1,500 – Rs 2,000Mylavaram: Rs 1,000 - Rs 2000Pulivendula: Rs 2,000 – Rs 3,000Pithapuram: Rs 5,000Mangalagiri: Rs 4,000 – Rs 6,000Ongole: Rs 5,000Tenali: Rs 1,000 – Rs 1,500Visakhapatnam: Rs 1,500 – Rs 5,000Kadapa: Rs 2000 - Rs 4,000Guntur: Rs 5,000Nellore: Rs 3,000Northern tip of AP (mostly rural areas): Rs 500 - 1,000