For a change, elections bring economic windfall for Kashmir Sumo cabbies   — The Kashmir Monitor

Srinagar: At a Sumo taxi yard in Baramulla, very few cabs are available for the commuters.  And every passing day, the number of cabs is dwindling. 

Thanks to polls, Sumo vehicles are high in demand. Polticial parties do not hesitate in shelling out more money to book cabs for the canvassing.

Political parties are relying heavily on cab drivers to reach remote villages and towns where public transportation is limited. Drivers are being used to shuttle campaign staff, distribute leaflets, and even transport voters on election day. 

 “There are more than 300 cab drivers at Baramulla. More than 60 percent of cabs have already been hired by the candidates for campaigning. Normally, we earn Rs 2000 per day, but these political parties throw a good deal and some offer more than Rs 3000 a day,” said Sameer Ahmad, a cab owner who too has been hired for campaigning.

 Ahmad said during the campaigning, their vehicles are fitted with loudspeakers, and banners with some volunteers to motivate people for votes. “We are being asked to travel to a particular place where we will make a halt for a few hours till the leader delivers a speech. Elections are the time when we earn good money,” he said.

 At Pattan Sumo stand in north Kashmir, many drivers are contracted for the entire month, ensuring consistent work as campaigns intensify.

The same is the case with the cab owners from south Kashmir and Budgam where the campaigning process is all set to begin for the assembly elections.

“Every candidate wants his rally to look larger than his rival. So, there is a kind of competition among the candidates to have the maximum number of volunteers in the rally. Cabs are being booked in advance and every candidate gives a better deal for the cab owners to make good money out of the campaigning,” said Sajad Ahmad Dar, a cab owner.

Javed Ahmad Bhat, a transporter said, “Every day I am getting bookings for 5-8 vehicles these days as against 1 or zero bookings normally. Demand for rental cabs has gone up due to the elections. Most bookings are coming from political parties for rallies in towns and villages,” he said.

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