Small expenses heavy on party kitty

KOLKATA: Hiring pigeons for three hours. Painting them in the party colour. Buying a few kilos of flowers, hiring drummers and trucks, buying cold drinks and daabs, getting booklets printed and caps stitched with the party symbol.
The account books of poll managers in the city make for interesting reading. What''s more interesting is the figures beside each item and the rounded-off total at the bottom.You never thought a few caps or some pigeons would cost a mountain.
Most parties admit that these apparently "insignificant purchases" are burning a hole in their pockets, forcing them to start "urgent" fund raising drives, not all of them overboard.
For example, BJP is taxing transporters and lorries Rs 10 each on the highway in Nadia. CPM has all but legalised the act, handing out printed bills for "donations" from households.
"We have little option because there is an acute shortage of funds. We are not as cash rich as CPM which is collecting money from even the industries to meet poll expenses," said BJP Nadia district president Pramod Ghosh.
Poll managers never had a tougher job. They have to decide whether to hold a padayatra or a car rally. "A car rally costs about Rs 5,000. A padayatra costs much more because the cars have to follow at a very slow pace. So we organise walks only where it is essential," said a poll manager.
With the face of elections changing, and glow-signs, vinyl printing, billboards, electronic displays and computer database replacing old time posters, banners and hoardings, the cost has escalated manifold.
"It is very difficult to meet such expenses," said Kolkata North East Trinamul candidate Ajit Panja.
A single vinyl printing costs Rs 10,000, and hiring a billboard comes for no less than Rs 8,000. Summer campaigning has its own burden.
"Due to the heat, leaders prefer to campaign after dusk, which requires lights. Then, banners have to illuminated by halogen lights. Expenses are many," said a CPM poll manager.
"It is good that there are well-wishers for the party who share part of the expense," claimed CPM candidate in Kolkata North West, Sudhangshu Sil.
These "well-wishers" are named innocuously, in small print, in the daily expense list, which has been made mandatory by the Election Commission.
"If there are no names, the expenses are seen to be borne by the candidate," said an election department official.