JEYPORE: Elections are in the nature of festivals in a democracy. This is also a time to make a fast buck and the youths in tribal areas are following the old dictum in principle. The panchayat poll has favoured as many as 12,000 unemployed youths of the district. With electioneering peaking in about 2,725 wards in 14 blocks, the BJD, Congress and the BJP have hired the youths for 20 days. With the parties concentrating on young mass votes, the youths would come in handy for them to motivate the tribal electorate. According to sources, the parties have given the charge of campaigning to youths. Besides the pocket money of ` 100 a day, they get free vehicles and fuel, good food and wine. A win for the party would get them a bonus in the form of a job. A long list of duties have been assigned for the youths which include assuring huge participation in rallies, escorting the political leaders and candidates in the villages and wooing voters on the polling day. While future job assurances bother little as it’s merely a promise, the youths are quite happy with the present bonanza. “We are engaged till election is over and we are enjoying every bit of the job,” said Guru Nayak of Laxmipur. “It is our time to support candidates and we are doing it without any pressure in the villages,” said Rama Harijan of Lamtaput.
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