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Slum-dwellers to contest BMC elections

BHUBANESWAR: With campaigning for Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections and political one-upmanship gaining momentum, several slum-dwellers contesting the poll have also intensified campaign in own style.

Coming under the banner of Basti Suraksya Manch (BSM), these candidates have floated a catchy tagline “we need your money as well as your votes” to consolidate their electoral base.

The BSM has fielded eight candidates in the ensuing BMC election relying purely on slum-dwellers.

"Slum development gets least priority in the policy and programmes of the State Government. Whatever we have achieved till today is entirely due to our relentless agitations in the city.

All these eight candidates have been selected as they have actively participated in demonstrations during last five years,” BSM president Sibram said.

He said, “since BMS candidates won’t get funds from any quarter for the election expenditure, for which we decided to carry forward election campaigning as well fund raising simultaneously.

Now wherever we are going, we are carrying a donation box with us asking people that we need your money as well as your votes.”

On the first day, the BMS could collect nearly Rs. 1,000, they said, which was enough to make a beginning.

“In three wards such as 15, 16 and 28, prospects of our candidates winning the elections are bright.

Moreover, we have decided to extend our support to two candidates in two separate wards as they are sympathetic to our cause,” Mr. Sibram said.

The BMS asked slum dwellers not to vote candidates of Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress as they all belonged to “exploiters’ category.”

For BMS the election issues were simple and related to slum development only. “Government has controlled developmental works in Salia Sahi, the largest slum of the State giving reason that the land was categorised as forest land.

But we have failed to fathom that how could an adjacent plot sprawling over five acres area be given to wives of senior IAS officers to start their own club,” BMS president said.

Although Bhubaneswar city had the largest constellation of below poverty line (BPL) families in the State, no attempts had been made to distribute white ration cards so that they could derive government benefits, he said.

The BMS said during last five years attempts were made to demolish 68 slums in the city but those could not be successful as slum dwellers protested with all their force.

General Secretary of BMS said political parties were eyeing at more than 350 slums and their 3.5 lakh strong gullible population to win elections but this time these candidates made a beginning, which would surely pay in long run.

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