With all major political parties in Kerala conducting a pre-election campaign and yatras across the state, party workers struggling to raise the funds for it.
The Times of India reports that the traditional sponsors of political shows, the bar and hotel owners, have decided not to cooperate. As per the report the rubber price deflation has also resulted in fund crunch for the yatras and campaigns.
Reports says that the bar association has taken an adamant stand over the issue, and have asked all its members to present details of their financial liabilities if party workers come asking for money.
ToI further reports that during Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president VM Sudheeran's Jana Paksha Yatra in 2014, each mandalam committee was given a target of Rs 1.5 lakh. However, this time, Sudheeran has limited the target for each committee to Rs 25,000. He also urged party workers to go to people’s houses and collect money by projecting the good work of UDF.
According to the report the Left parties also face similar fund crunch as CPI (M) Polit Bureau member Pinarayi Vijayan is beginning his yathra from Kasaragod on January 15, “We are facing great difficulty in raising fund especially in the eastern regions of the district,“ said a senior party official.
The report also say that bar and quarry owners are showing a soft corner to CPI(M) as they have a hope that Left government a may change the present policies.