The price of Tendu leaves, which are used to make beedis, has become the talking point in Chhattisgarh ahead of the assembly elections. Tendu leaves are commonly used as wrappers for beedis, which are the poor man's cigarette. These leaves are obtained from the Tendu tree, which grows abundantly in the Bastar region. The price of Tendu leaves has been a point of concern for many people involved in the beedi industry.
People gather them from the roadsides or their own fields. Once collected, the leaves are dried and sold. This industry is a major source of livelihood for many people in the Bastar region, particularly women, as the production cost is low and it relies primarily on labour. The harvest season is from March to July. People sell Tendu leaves to the contractors appointed by the government. The leaves are also exported to south Indian states.
The incumbent Congress government has increased the price of a sack of 1,000 bundles of 50 leaves each from Rs 2,500 to Rs 4,000. In addition, they have announced a bonus of Rs 4,000 for those who collect and sell the leaves. On the other hand, the BJP manifesto promises to increase the price to Rs 5,500 per bag. The Congress manifesto, released after the BJP's manifesto, included a further increase to Rs 6,000 per bag of Tendu leaves.
Both parties strategically delayed the release of their manifestos in order to gauge the plans of the opposing party. This explains why the BJP did not release its manifesto even during a conference attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The BJP manifesto was eventually released two days later in a meeting attended by Amit Shah. Similarly, the Congress manifesto was released after the campaign period for the first phase of the election had ended.
In addition to the price of Tendu leaves, the election campaign also highlighted the support price for paddy. The Congress announced an increase in the support price to Rs 3,000 per quintal, while the BJP manifesto stated a support price of Rs 3,100. Subsequently, the Congress increased their promise to Rs 3,200 per quintal in their manifesto.
(This article was originally published in Malayala Manorama daily dated November 7, 2023.)
