Even as parties fight it out ahead of the polls on the streets of RK Nagar, behind closed doors it is money that is being used to influence voters. Within just 4 hours on Tuesday night, the election flying squad seized Rs.14 lakh in cash and arrested 28 persons in the constituency, reports the TNIE.
The flying squad, reportedly based on a tip off, raided Nethaji Nagar, Shastri Nagar, Bharathi Nagar and Ajies Nagar. According to reports, the raid began at 11 pm and lasted till 3 am. “During inspection, the team had found Rs 9 lakh hidden in a house of one S Srinivasan. Eleven people were arrested from the house,” said a police official to TNIE.
But that was not all, in another incident at Kasimedu, the team reportedly found five men on the street, carrying Rs.1.29 lakh. This was seized as well. Similarly, any person carrying a large sum of money was taken for inquiry, over suspicion of bribing voters.
Meanwhile, the OPS camp has submitted another complaint to the EC on Wednesday. They alleged that Rs. 4000 was distributed to all voters in RK Nagar from 3am to 7am on Wednesday. Pandian also claimed that Dhinakaran had spent Rs 80 crore in the bye-election so far.
Tamil Nadu has had a murky history when it comes to bribing voters. Wooing voters with cash and other gifts is an open secret and the Election Commission was forced to cancel elections in the two constituencies of Aravakurichi and Thanjavur during the May 2016 polls.
Instead of handing over cash, politicians have been innovating ways to bribe voters over the years. While some give amenities like kitchen appliances, others prefer gold rings and some politicians pay off your dues with pawn brokers.