“I’m travelling to attend my brother-in-law’s wedding, and t...

“I’m travelling to attend my brother-in-law’s wedding, and to vote”

For thousands of migrant workers, such trips are an annual ritual — made more compelling this year by the twin pull of #ChhathPuja and the election.

“Those who go home for Chhath Puja usually return only after one or two months. Sometimes, even major infrastructure projects in Kerala slow down because Bihari workers travel home during this period,” said Benoy Peter, executive director of the Centre for Migration and Inclusive Development.

When the ballot boxes are opened in Bihar on November 14, the echoes will be heard far away in Kerala, too, in the silent construction yards and shuttered shops left behind by those who went home to be counted.

https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2025/Oct/30/bihar-election-gives-migrant-workers-added-impetus-to-head-home-from-kerala