It was not a grand feast for poll party officials assembled at Ranchi’s Morhabadi ground however officials swallowing meals and gulping a glass of sattu (flour made of gram) at roadside stalls near the ground suggested that food is something that the officials are going to miss terribly in their 24 hrs’ stay at several polling stations in Ranchi parliamentary constituency.
like every election, this time too the officials have been left to fend for themselves and make necessary arrangements to discharge poll duty under trying circumstances. Each one carrying a sack of poll materials is also carrying foods to keep hunger at bay. Snacks, chapattis, stuffed parathas and dry vegetables form the part of materials that the poll officials are carrying to address hunger pangs.
“(Sattu ka roti, sada roti, aaloo aur karela ka bhujiya saath main le liye hain. Kaun jaane wahan milega bhi ki nahin kuch bhi khane ko) I am carrying parathas stuffed with sattu, fried bitter gourd and potatoes. Who know whether we will anything there to eat,” said Vijay Tirkey who was heading to Tamar for poll duty. (Paisa de diya to suvidha bhi khoj rahe hain), pat came the reaction from other poll party members.
Notably, the administration has earmarked Rs 1650 for poll members of certain categories besides insuring them at a premium of Rs 50 to take care of their concerns for untoward incidents.
Interestingly, Tirkey is not alone as there are hundred others who believe it is better to carry replenishments than to depend on administration for calorie requirements to keep going in the day long process of conducting polls.