Elections 2024: Chhattisgarh self-help groups tap traditional practices to up voter turnout in Phase 3

An initiative at the grassroots level in Chhattisgarh's Balrampur district to drive up voter turnout in the third phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections is grabbing eyeballs.

Ahead of the third phase of polling on May 7, women's self-help groups are tapping into traditional practices while visiting voters at their doorsteps, and distributing tamarind leaves and yellow rice, to ensure maximum public participation, ANI reported.

The effort has not only sparked enthusiasm among villagers but has also demonstrated the power of community involvement in promoting democratic values.

"We are going door-to-door, gifting tamarind leaves and yellow rice to the people to encourage voter participation. Since polling will start early at 7 am, we are handing out these items that are intrinsic to our culture and traditional practices in a bid to draw the maximum number of voters to the polling booths. It is like inviting people to a wedding or a community event. What could be better or more joyful than this?" Vimla Singh, a member of one of the all-women self-help groups, told ANI.

The district administration has also lent its full support to this initiative. "The elections are approaching, with voting scheduled for May 7. To drive public involvement in the electoral process and also encourage voter participation, we have sent out eco-friendly invitation letters to all the village councils on behalf of the district administration. Since tamarind leaves are traditionally used here and go with the local culture and traditional practices, we hit upon this method to invite people to polling booths. We want people to turn out in numbers and exercise their democratic right without any fear or inhibition," district nodal officer Raina Jameel told ANI.

Polling for 2 of the 11 Lok Sabha seats in Chhattisgarh was conducted in the first two phases of the ongoing general elections. While voters in Bastar, which was considered a Naxal stronghold recently, exercised their franchise on April 19; polling for Rajnandgaon, Mahasamund, and Kanker was held in Phase 2 on April 26.

The third phase of polling in the state will cover Raipur, Durg, Bilaspur, Surguja, Raigarh, Jangir-Champa and Korba.

This will mark the culmination of elections in the state, which has a total of 11 Lok Sabha seats, with voting for four seats already completed in the first two phases.

Among the key constituencies in Chhattisgarh are Raipur, Bilaspur, and Durg. Notably, Durg is home to four opposition Congress candidates, including former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel.

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