Thiruvananthapuram, 29 March (H.S.):A controversy has surfaced in Kerala’s capital after allegations emerged that people were allegedly recruited through a labour-supply mobile application to attend a Congress election rally scheduled in Vattiyoorkavu on Sunday evening.

According to reports, a message seeking 20 individuals to participate in the rally appeared on a worker-sourcing platform called Hirearn, which connects employers with unskilled labourers. The message reportedly offered ₹511 along with food for attending the event, raising questions about the authenticity of crowd mobilisation practices.

Sources indicate that the message was circulated through WhatsApp groups associated with the app around midnight on Saturday. These groups, active across multiple districts in Kerala, are typically used to coordinate daily wage and short-term employment opportunities. The message allegedly specified that the requirement was for a Congress rally, though the exact location details were to be shared later.

The rally is scheduled to take place in Vattiyoorkavu between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m., and those interested were reportedly asked to remain available during this time. The advertisement also mentioned that only 20 participants were required for the programme.

Following the emergence of the issue and the ensuing controversy, the message was swiftly deleted from the platform. The administrator of the Hirearn WhatsApp group later issued a clarification, stating that the post was shared due to a misunderstanding and denied that it was officially linked to any Congress event.

Meanwhile, local Congress leaders in Thiruvananthapuram distanced themselves from the development, stating that they were unaware of any such arrangement or message related to their rally.

The incident has triggered political debate, with questions being raised over the use of paid participants in election campaigns.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman