Sandesh Prabhudesai
24 Feb 1998
Do you want to win elections in Ratnagiri and Rajapur constituencies of
the Konkan region of Maharashtra ? Then hold election meetings in Mumbai. Mere contacts in
the actual constituency is of no use.
The voter, of course, is in the village. But their remote control is in
Mumbai, also called Dubai of Konkanis. He is called chakarmani, the one working in
Mumbai as the head of the family, which actually stays in the village.
This is the reason why both the constituencies are women-dominated,
comprising around 57 per cent of the total electorate. Today, Ratnagiri has 4.86 lakh
female voters against only 3.69 lakh male voters. In Rajapur, it’s 4.51 lakh against
3.49 lakh. They were above 60 per cent in late ‘70s.
The chakarmani visits the village only twice in a year, for the Shigmo
festival after Holi and Ganesh Chaturthi, in August-September, or occasionally for
the annual village feast. It’s the "money-order culture", on which the
Konkan survives.
Equally important is his fatwah sent during elections, by post
or a special visit paid to his native place. Over 80 per cent families live on money
orders and vote as per "political orders" from Mumbai.
Even the candidates, though from outside, are not imposed but a popular
choice of chakarmani. That’s why Anant Geete, Shiv Sena’s Mumbai
councillor, gets elected with thumping majority in Ratnagiri or Major Sudhir Sawant or
Suresh Prabhu in Rajapur ; Post : Mumbai, Origin : Konkan.
Each village has a Gram Vikas Mandal (Village Development Council) in
Mumbai, having chakarmani members belonging to all the political parties and
thoughts. They don’t fight over it in the councils, but attend separate meetings
called by different parties, strictly for election purpose.
The Sena meetings are held in Sena Bhavan, Congress meetings in Tilak
Bhavan and so on... For Lok Sabha, only two meetings are held for two seats. But for the
Assembly polls, 12 different meetings are held, one for each Assembly segment.
Being basically the mill worker, the chakarmani got drifted
towards the Sena after the mills were closed and he was thrown on the roads. Sena helped
them to continue living in Mumbai and they helped Sena to grow in the villages, since late
‘80s.
By now, the voter in the village has heard all the political leaders.
They are now awaiting "orders", two days prior to the polls. After all the
electioneering, that would decide the fate of each and every candidate....
YEH HAI INDIA - II
Long long ago, the then ruling Congress party said : "we will make
Konkan the California of Maharashtra". In retaliation, the ruling Shiv Sena has now
promised a separate state of Konkan.
But Machindra Kambli, the famous theatre personality and the Congress
candidate, has something different to offer. It’s something like "if you have no
bread, then eat cake".
Realising the hardships his Konkani brothers and sisters are going
through, he has fixed two priorities, if elected. The first one is to provide loans for
self-employment and the second one – an air-conditioned theatre in every taluka town
!!!
Though based in Mumbai for over three decades now, he is very popular
in Konkan, mainly because of his dramas, performed fully in Malwani accent.
Capitalising on it, he also organised Malwani Sammelan to strengthen the Malwani
identity.
Elections is the next step for him. Does he differentiate between
theatre and politics ? "No. As there is politics in theatre circles, election
politics is also like a drama", he says, in his witty style.
His election speeches in Malwani accent, combined with sarcastic
comments about his opponents, is a free show for the voter, who does not miss a single
meeting of his. But would he pay it back in the form of a vote ? Nobody knows.
