Village voters revel in festival-like election atmosphere, treated as royals for a day

As local elections swept through villages on Tuesday, voters appeared to be the real winners, enjoying royal treatment and a sense of power.

From being driven around in high-end SUVs to indulging in unlimited supplies of sweets and snacks, the rural electorate found themselves at the centre of attention.

In Kalyan village, Sanjay and Vinod were hard at work at a sweetmeat shop. They were busy preparing ladoos, anticipating the evening celebrations. Sanjay, who has worked at the shop for 20 years, chuckled as he said, “This year, I am making 300 kg ladoos. Whoever wins, my ladoos will sell.”

His laughter and casual approach mirrored the festive mood in the village, which boasts over 1,400 voters.

Similarly, in Rakhra village, Hakam Singh was making around 1,000 samosas, confident they’d be distributed by evening.

“Elections are like festivals in our villages,” said Gurpreet Singh, a resident of the village.

He explained how the election season churns the local economy, saying “Candidates spend generously, and it’s a time when even the poorer villagers experience luxuries they wouldn’t otherwise have.”

Tersem Singh (60), a small-time farmer from Dalit background, shared his own surprising experience of being treated with deference.

“Today, I felt like a king,” he said. “Those who usually ignore me were at my feet, asking for my vote.”

For Tersem and countless others, election day offers a rare sense of empowerment.