Lucknow, April 17 -- In an unexpected turn during the Uttar Pradesh (UP) election season, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) workers are witnessing heightened demand, not for their traditional manual labour, but as foot soldiers for political campaigns.

This trend has ignited a discourse on the exploitation of these workers for political purposes, not by a particular party but by parties of all hues.

Typically earning around '250 per day for their labour, MGNREGA workers are now being tempted into election rallies and canvassing with promises of '300 wages, supplemented with three meals a day and even evening liquor.

The surge in pay, coupled with additional perks, has resulted in a scarcity of MGNREGA wor...