Party workers slog, but remain unsung during election time

Come elections, they are heard from morning till evening offering rosy promises, picking holes in past performances and soliciting people's favour, sometimes earning silent approval or scornful glances. They are the foot soldiers of political parties without whom a party cannot hope to win an election, even in this age of publicity - both electronic and print. Mostly these humble party workers are unsung and remain in the sidelines.

One such worker is Tapesh Majumdar of Trinamool Congress who tavels through streets and lanes all days shouting slogans into the loudspeaker seeking support for his party.

"We are the frontline soldiers of our party. Nothing more, nothing less. The party candidate rests on our shoulders during election," says Majumdar.

Majumdar's contention is vetted by Twisampati Roy, an activist of the CPI-M. Their affiliations are different and so are their beliefs, but their routine is similar. Apart from campaigning on autorickshaws, they also take part in processions and street corner meetings.

Do the party candidates or leaders look after their needs or they have to fend for themselves? Majumder, who was with the Congress before his leader switched to Trinamool six years ago, says: "Ours is a follower-based party. Workers and leaders do everything jointly. I have seen even Mamata Banerjee sharing puffed rice with others from the same plate."

Roy, an active worker of the CPI-M for the last two decades, says the candidate or the big leader need not be bothered about looking after our needs; they have other important thins to do.

"The local committees are there for looking after such things," he said. Another CPI-M worker, who wishes not to be identified, says party leaders vary in their approach to workers' needs. "While most will say ‘dekhchhi’ (we’ll see) when a problem is put up before them, Subhasda (late West Bengal Sports Minister Subhas Chakraborty) would solve any problem then and there."

Some other party workers whom this correspondent talked to, however, admit that some ground level workers are sometimes made to do things which are not acceptable in a civil society like issuing threats to voters.