The holy month of ‘Karthikam’ is popular for Vanabhojanams and majority of middle-class people goes to nearby forests and resorts for completing the custom in the month with a budget of Rs. 500 to Rs. 1,000 per family and it is common that many event management agencies, tour operators offer packages along with temple-tourism. Thanks to elections and political parties for offering ‘Free Vanabhojanam’ packages to the voters from even from weaker section colonies.
A leader from Serilingampally has recently organised Karthika Vanabhojanam at a resort in Miyapur for a community seeking votes and few others are adopting similar modus-operandi in order to avoid the checking of Static Surveillance Teams (SST) and Election Flying Squades while transporting money and gifts for distributing voters. The leaders are selecting Vanabhojanam premises to distribute money and gifts for votes.
Meanwhile, the month Karthikam is said to be bad time for hotel business as majority of Hindus avoid non-vegetarian and liquor. But, this time, hoteliers saying that their business is increased comparing with other season. “At least 1,000 people always work for a contestant. The candidate must take care of their breakfast to dinner apart from liquor and daily wage from Rs. 500 to Rs. 1,000. Mostly the workers of the candidates are daily wage people from Addas (Adda Koolies). They are being given breakfast, two time meals and three time teas. Each candidate is spending at least Rs. 1 lakh on these expenditures per day. Few hotels are working in night hours also. Similarly, few bars are secretly offering door-delivery to political leaders during night hours,” a source said.
Besides this, mid-night bulk orders for food is increased and prominent apps like Zomato, Swiggy and Uber eats are serving food to the workers of political parties. “A delivery boy should attend 18 orders in order to get Rs. 1,500 of daily wage. It was hard to us in reaching target in general days, but, now we are delivering up to 100 orders during mid-nights. Most of the customers are political leaders and the orders are for their party workers,” a delivery boy from Uber Eats told ‘Telugu 360’.
