Thousands of people, businessmen, industrialists who stored `black money’ in large quantity were badly hit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to demonitise notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 from Tuesday midnight.
But the three main political opponents of the BJP, felt the real pinch of the decision. leaders of the Congress, the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party felt that the backbone of their parties were paralysed with the decision ahead of the coming Assembly polls.
``large scale of use of black money in elections is an oen secret. Everyone also know that workers and activists demand `money’ in return of their `services’ to the party during polls,” said a Congress leader preparing to contest from a segment in lucknow.
``The time of banning Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes by the PM clearly indicated that it was not made to act against `black money’ holders but instead was a well calculated move to paralyse the backbone of the three political opponents just before the Assembly polls,” the leader asserted.
“Now we are left with no funds to organise our poll campaign while the BJP will take the advantage of being in power at the Centre to transform their `black money’ into `white’ and use it freely in their campaign,” he charged.
A BSP leader said that the amount fixed for campaigning for every candidate is so little and after Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes jhave been demonitised, it is impossible to even put up posters in the entire constituency with the sanctioned funds.
``The rising prices of election material is not hidden. Now with our hands tied after Modi’s decision, it would prove very difficult for us or other candidates to kiskstart the campaign which will clearly give an edge to BJP candidates in the coming polls,” the leader said.
Samajwadi Party leaders aired similar sentiments. ``Modi first ensured that the BJP has enough funds to spend on the poll campaign for the 2017 elections. By demonitising the higher currency notes, the Pm has dealt a body blow to his political rivals.”
Interestingly, some leaders who did not have enough funds hailed Modi’s decision saying that they could expect a better and fair battle in the coming Assembly polls as use of `black money’ is likely to be wiped out after Tuesday’s decision.