Congress, BJP Offer Cash For Votes, Free Lunches, Trip To Jerusalem To Woo Nagaland Voters

Just before Nagaland is all set for assembly Elections 2018, both Congress and BJP are trying to do what best they could. While votes are literally said to be bought and sold on an outrageously exorbitant bidding system, Poor Nagas seem to be enjoying these days. Though, According to Election Commission of India (ECI), it has set a limit of Rs 20 lakh on campaigning, on the contrary candidates are spending lavishly on free lunches to lure the voters.

Along with routine ‘Free Lunches’ these days, people in Kohima are also getting free wine and cash to vote for their party candidates.

Reverend Keyho, leader of the Nagaland Baptist Church Council which has been initiating a 'Spotless Election' crusade, stated, "Individuals discuss it openly. Say for one vote, applicants are paying two-three thousand rupees. So if my family has four-five votes, you set up each one of those together. Furthermore, individuals are exceptionally open about those things."

In Christian dominated Nagaland, Congress claims to have declared a travel subsidy for Christian nationals who wish to travel to Jerusalem much before their biggest opponents have announced. BJP seems to have hijacked their idea and even BJP is not only offering subsidy on travelling to the holy city of Jerusalem but also planned to send many people without charging them anything.

BJP in its Manifesto, Defence Minister in Nagaland, has offered to send gatherings of senior Christian nationals to Jerusalem if they come to power in the state. A vision document -- the state BJP says two to three years old but the document says 2018 -- promises to set up a senior citizen board too, and, "every year, through a lucky draw, around 50 members will be sent to Holy Land Jerusalem Tour." And, hold your breath, the tour will be free of cost. This could be viewed as an endeavour to catch the Christian vote bank in Nagaland. The move is likewise observed as a push to counter feelings of dread of 'Hindutva intrusion' among the Christian voters of Nagaland.

BJP's manifesto seems to have modified after the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC), the greatest church association in the election-bound state, propelled a crusade against the BJP and RSS in the state.

It, nonetheless, stays misty if the offer is restricted just to the general population of Nagaland or will it utilize in Meghalaya as well. Polls in Meghalaya are too planned for that day.

Around 11.82 lakh voters of Nagaland will practice their establishment in the up and coming Assembly surveys.

Of late, age-old Haj subsidy was ceased by the BJP at the centre and some Muslim pioneers and leaders have expressed their resentment. Meanwhile, Kohima's destiny has all of a sudden turned out to be connected to Jerusalem nearly 5000 miles away.