LOCAL ELECTIONS

Roshni Village, Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh
May 2010

Praveen Jain lost his voice last night. So did 300 others. “From an overdose of screaming, smoking and drinking,” he squeaks, his stained teeth flashing me a smile. Yesterday was the ‘Panchayat Chunav’ or the Panchayat elections at Roshni village in Madhya Pradesh. Roshni, a central village in Khandwa district, 200 kilometers from Bhopal, is an important trading center and is soon to become a separate block. Last year Roshni was highlighted in the media for its severely malnourished children, along with other hotspots in the state. An active civil society forced the government to wake up and take action. An otherwise laid back village, Roshni only wakes up with frenzy once in five years, during its election time. It’s the only time when the aam janta is valued, cajoled and gently, bought over.

This time, however, the style quotient stepped up a few notches. The candidates campaigning for Serpanch in Roshni and nearby villages, sold their fields, pawned their jewelry and borrowed hefty loans to spend on elaborate campaigns. The banners were printed on flex instead of paper, the alcohol transcended the local mahua to “English” whiskey and rum and Bristol cigarettes were substituted with more expensive ones. At other places, crisp 500 rupee notes were doled out. It’s a betting game - a small prize to pay for a fortune of government schemes, the cash cow being the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, where a panchayat gets an inflow of lakhs of rupees pouring into its account. Roshni has 1400 voters. On Sunday, 24th January 2010, the voters had to make a choice.

A brief sketch of the four candidates campaigning for the prized post of the Serpanch:

Gonda Tirku (First Photo), 55 years old, served as Roshni’s Serpanch for the last five years. Gonda never went to school. People read out documents to him and he signs where needed. In five years, Gonda built 40 wells, 5 puliyas (small bridges), 3 kilometers of kaccha road under NREGS, got 300 people old age pension, and built homes for 40 families under the Indira Awaz Yojana Scheme, housing for the poor. Villagers say that Gonda is the most corrupt Serpanch Roshni has seen. He has done nothing for the people but used development money to get rich. When asked about what he has done for the malnourished children in the village, he said, “So what can I do about it? The government does all these things.” When asked why he deserves to be voted again, he said, “Please don’t waste my time,” and got up in a huff refusing to have his photograph taken. His voting symbol is a pair of glasses and there are huge banners of him all over Roshni wearing two pairs of sunglasses on his forehead. For his campaign Gonda gave out expensive liquor, sacrificed goats and distributed shiny sun glasses to everybody.

Ghasi Ram (Third Photo) is 26 years old and is running for Serpanch with the promise of change. “There is too much of loot maar, corruption and violence, which I want to put an end to,” he explains. Ghasi is a 12th standard pass, a level of literacy most his age don’t have in Roshni. Seemingly intelligent and soft spoken, Ghasi’s campaign has focused on giving people their rights. “I am educated. I believe with that strength I can channelise the funds for the development of the people,” he said. He believes that for malnutrition to be completely eradicated one needs to spread awareness and affix responsibility. His symbol is a glass. Villagers say Ghasi is the most promising candidate and they trust the he will work for the welfare of the people. Ghasi ran his campaign with the least amount of money, supported by friends and family to distribute food and tea to people.

Nandlal Pita Mahating (Second Photo) is 55 years old and has extensive experience in working as an assistant serpanch, block member and the serpanch of a neighboring panchayat. Nandlal was the easiest one to find on the polling day. While other candidates were rushing from one booth to another, anxious to see the villagers voting, Nandlal was sitting on a jute cot outside the nearby panwadi, lighting a beedi. “People will vote for me if they love me. If they don’t, I don’t quite care. Why get tensed?” he says. “The Madhya Pradesh Government spends so much on poverty alleviation, but how much of it do we get? In my campaign I promised Garibi Hatao. Remove Poverty.” Local gossip has it that Nandlal is standing in the campaign ready to sell himself to someone who would want him to pull out.

When I tried to find Shobha ram, the fourth candidate, he wasn’t around in the village. People didn’t know where he disappeared.

While people young, old, rich and poor stood in queues from 8AM to 3PM, there was a tensed silence. The counting began at 5PM. By 7PM the houses were empty, with the women talking out in their porches and the men and children out on the streets. By 9, there was a cheering mob outside the locked poll booths with the security screaming at the people to move away. Firecrackers, fresh garlands and a decorated horse, waited in readiness. Finally the doors opened. Ghasi Ram had won by a lead of 400 odd votes. Another promise to change. Another brave warrier fighting a fresh old battle.