Workforce dips as Bengali migrants head home to vote

Pune: The informal workforce in the city is thinning out as migrant workers from West Bengal head home to celebrate Poila Boishak on April 14 and vote in the state's upcoming elections later in the month.The typically short festive visit for the Bengali New Year has turned into a longer, more purposeful journey, as civic duty takes precedence alongside tradition.The impact is visible across households and restaurants. Domestic helps, cooks, waiters and kitchen staff are taking extended leave, planning to return only after voting. It means staying back in West Bengal through at least one phase of polling and stretching their absence in Pune to several weeks.A waiter at a restaurant in Koregaon Park, Gopal Dutta, said, "I have to go and vote, because my parents are forcing me to come. Rumours and WhatsApp forwards have left them worried. Thankfully, getting leave from my employer is not that tough because I am a long-time employee. They have to let us go to cast our vote."Restaurant owners and resident associations said the shift is being felt already. Ganesh Shetty, president of the Pune Restaurants and Hoteliers Association, estimated that a noticeable portion of the workforce has temporarily exited the city. "There are a lot of rumours regarding SIR that people don't understand and panic. About 10%-15% of our staff has gone back to vote. Some of them have not even taken their pay, since they know it will be given on their return," he said.However, for workers, the decision is less about inconvenience and more about obligation — familial and civic. Biswajit Mandal of Midnapur works as cook in Pune for the last six years. He said he had planned his leave weeks in advance. "Poila Boishak is important, but voting is equally so. I will go home on April 12, spend time with my family and stay back till my voting day. Work will be there when I return, but voting cannot be missed," he said.Durgapur's Aparna Guha, who works as a domestic help, said it was a mix of personal choice and family pressure. "My family wants me to be there and vote. They keep calling and telling me to come back. I also feel it is my responsibility to vote. I informed my employers in advance and they will manage. I will be away for some time," she said.The migration has also altered community plans within Pune. Arun Chakraborty, who runs the Facebook page Bengalis in Pune, said that Poila Boishak celebrations will be subdued this year. "We have not planned anything, because many members, especially the senior ones, are going to West Bengal to vote. We will collaborate with other Bengali associations to have some programmes for those who are in the city. People are more enthusiastic to go and vote this time. They completed the SIR formalities earlier and are now going to vote. Many who didn't manage to get train tickets have paid extra to go by flight," he said.In Pune, the temporary absence means rearranged schedules, limited menus and households stepping in to fill the gaps. As one restaurant manager put it, this is a disruption most are willing to accommodate. Even the busiest kitchens can pause when democracy calls.
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