Hyderabad: Despite the Election Commission's efforts to curb freebie distribution, it remains a challenge.
In the former undivided Nizamabad district, a seasoned politician's backers are offering pressure cookers, while his rival is gifting gold nose studs to women.
We have also heard about giving the ACs, fans and TV sets as freebies to grab votes.
In urban areas, discontent arises as these perks often fail to reach residents, contrasting with rural areas where the smaller community structure ensures sincere delivery.
Interestingly, urban voters in many areas have demanded for solar power installations for their apartment complexes, cement roads in their colonies, and the setup of CCTV cameras in streets and apartments.
Perhaps influenced by the Tamil OTT film "Mandela," where a voter-in-demand transforms the fate of a village by instigating competition between two political parties for positive change.
Ultimately, a segment of voters leans towards personal gain, while others focus on collective welfare, accepting freebies from candidates.