Cooch Behar workers’ ‘vote first, work later’ mantra hits Jaipur restos, households & biz

Jaipur: Bengal polls just a fortnight away, a sharp staff shortage has gripped households and eateries across Jaipur as migrant workers from Cooch Behar return home to cast their votes, leaving kitchens short-handed and businesses scrambling.With nine constituencies in Cooch Behar going to polls on April 23, a large section of Bengali domestic workers and daily-wage earners in Jaipur are heading back, telling employers “vote first, work later”. The exodus has disrupted routine services in homes, hotels, restaurants and construction sites.”Over 80% of Jaipur’s domestic help and labourers are from villages in Cooch Behar. This is the first time we are seeing such enthusiasm to return home to cast votes. In fact, after Covid, the enthusiasm is the highest,” said Mewa Bharti, a domestic help activist who runs the Rajasthan Mahila Kamraj Union.The impact is widespread. Women largely work as domestic help, while men are employed in hotels, marriage gardens, factories and construction.”We can’t think of running a kitchen in Jaipur without Cooch Behar manpower. At present, there is an acute shortage as almost entire families are leaving to vote,” said Tarun Kumar Bansal, president of the Hotels and Restaurant Association of Rajasthan. He added that over 70 of his 240 employees are from Cooch Behar and all have applied for leave.The ripple effect has extended to markets, with the Bengali Fish Market in Bais Godam and the Bengali Anaj Mandi on Shakar Marg likely to remain shut for nearly a month.Explaining the surge, migrant Usha Barman said: “We have been promised financial help by political parties depending on the number of family members voting. There are also fears that if we don’t vote, our names may get struck off in the next revision.”With trains full and waiting lists long, many are opting for general coaches or private buses — underscoring that, for these workers, voting takes priority over livelihood.