Those bitten by the poll bug had to put up with bee stings as well. It was not just once or twice, but on three occasions that honey bees made their presence felt, albeit in a painful manner, in the run-up to the Lok Sabha election in Tamil Nadu.
Now, candidates braving the scorching sun to campaign in rural areas all through the day are wary of beehives.
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader and Chidambaram Lok Sabha constituency candidate Thol. Thirumavalavan and his supporters were the first to face the ire of a swarm of bees. In the second week of April, Mr. Thirumavalavan took a break for lunch in a coconut groove in Ariyalur district when a party supporter threw a stone at a beehive perched on a tree. The irate bees stung the candidate and others in the vicinity so badly that two of them had to be admitted to hospital.
A few days later, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam candidate for the Alandur Assembly by-poll in Chennai, R. S. Bharathi, and a few others came ‘face-to-face’ with bees that stung many, including the candidate. However, Mr. Bharathi continued the campaign.
In Arakkonam last week, a group of government officials undergoing training on election procedures were shocked to see a swarm of aggressive bees on their premises. At least a dozen of them had to be taken to hospital for first aid.
Professional beekeeper N. Swaminathan of Chennai says bees get provoked not only when their colony is disturbed but also when a strong smell emanates in the vicinity. “The best thing to do when bees attack is to keep still by lying down or keeping low. They get vigorous when the person runs in a bid to escape…,” he says.
