Jaipur: With just a fortnight left for the elections in Bengal, there is a severe shortage of staff in homes and eateries across Jaipur as migrant workers from Cooch Behar return home to cast their votes, leading to kitchen shortages and problems for businesses.As nine constituencies in Cooch Behar go to the polls on April 23, a large section of Bengali domestic workers and daily wage earners in Jaipur are pushing back, asking employers to “vote first, work later”. The migration has disrupted regular services at homes, hotels, restaurants and construction sites.“More than 80% of Jaipur’s domestic servants and laborers are from villages in Cooch Behar. This is the first time we are seeing so much enthusiasm to return home to cast their votes.” In fact, the enthusiasm is the highest post-Covid,” said Mewa Bharti, a domestic help worker who runs Rajasthan Mahila Kamaraj Union.The impact is widespread. Women largely work as domestic helps, while men are employed in hotels, marriage gardens, factories and construction work.“We cannot think of running kitchens in Jaipur without Cooch Behar manpower. At present, there is an acute shortage as almost entire families are going to vote,” said Tarun Kumar Bansal, president of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Rajasthan. He said that out of his 240 employees, more than 70 are from Cooch Behar and all have applied for leave.Its impact has spread to the markets, the Bengali fish market at Bais Godam and the Bengali grain market at Shakar Marg are likely to remain closed for about a month.Explaining the increase, migrant Usha Barman said: “We have been promised financial help by political parties depending on the number of family members who vote. There is also a fear that if we do not vote, our names may be struck off in the next amendment.”With trains full and waiting lists long, many are opting for ordinary coaches or private buses – underscoring that, for these workers, voting takes priority over livelihood.