In buses arranged by parties, voters in Bengaluru head to Kerala in hordes

The countdown to Kerala's April 9 Assembly Elections has turned Bengaluru's major bus stands into a hive of activity. At Kalasipalya, Shantinagar, Madiwala, Majestic and Kengeri, thousands of Keralites working and living in the city are boarding hired buses back to their home state — many of them nudged along by political parties eager to secure every vote they can.

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A vote bank that travels

Bengaluru is home to a large and ''politically aware'' Keralite population — IT workers, nurses, traders — many of whom have retained voting rights in their home constituencies. In nearly every Kerala Assembly seat, it is estimated that at least 1,000-2,000 voters work in Bengaluru. In an election where winning margins could be as narrow as 100–500 votes, these number matters enormously. Buses are mostly going to North and central Kerala, it is learnt.

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Party supporters — from Congress to CPM to BJP — have arranged free bus travel and meals for voters making the trip. Kerala state head (Sports) of All India Professionals' Congress, Sanjay Alex, told The Federal that these arrangements are being done by supporters, not the party machinery directly. According to him, over 2,000 Keralites are expected to make the journey, travelling by bus or car. Interestingly, Alex says mostly youngsters and first-time voters are taking the journey back home to cast their votes.

Voters were identified through Google Forms, and private buses hired from Karnataka will pay the required taxes at the Kerala border.

Why every vote counts this time

The stakes are unusually high in the Assembly elections this time. The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Kerala drew allegations that tens of thousands of local voters were dropped from the rolls, making out-of-state voters even more consequential.

The Left Front is battling anti-incumbency in its bid for a rare third consecutive term; the Congress-led UDF is fighting to stay relevant; and the BJP is pushing hard to establish itself as a credible third force.

WhatsApp co-ordination

Coordination is largely happening through WhatsApp groups run by Kerala organisations and party supporters in Bengaluru, with real-time updates on bus timings and pick-up points. With polling scheduled for Thursday, most voters are departing on Wednesday to reach their home constituencies in time. Many have left on Tuesdays, say party workers.

(This article was originally published in The Federal Karnataka.)