Chennai: Not lagging behind political parties,
independents contesting the April 13 assembly elections in
Tamil Nadu too have come up with promise of freebies to woo
the electorate but most of them borders on absurdity.
An independent contesting from Salem South and North
constituencies has made the most unbelievable offer of a Nano
car each to every voter if they elected him.
Shahjahan also promised a cell phone, a generator set to
each family to relieve them from power cuts, free cable TV
connection and pocket money of Rs.200 to every student.
When asked from where he would get the money to fulfil his
promises, Shahjahan coolly said, "if the money that came from
2G spectrum scam is confiscated, more could be done."
Asked whether his promise amounted to a corrupt practice,
an offence under the Representation of the People?s Act, the
candidate, a lawyer by profession, said there was nothing
wrong in it. "If the political parties can offer (freebies),
why can't I?" he countered.
Another independent candidate from Musiri, Kannaiyan, has
promised free gold coins to all voters if elected, besides
three cents of land to those who worked for him during the
polls. He had also offered free cable TV connections to the
voters in his constituency.
Congress candidate in Musiri M Rajasekaran had even moved
the Madras High Court seeking a direction to the Election
Commission to prevent Kannaiyan's alleged corrupt practices.
The court disposed of the petition after Election
Commission submitted it would take steps in accordance with
law if the charges were true.
Vincent Paul, another independent from Manapparai, has
offered gold chain of five sovereigns to all girls getting
married.
Dubbing these promises as 'hollow', former Chennai Mayor
and DMK activist Sa Ganesan said people would believe promises
made in the manifestos of political parties, but not those by
independents.
In a war of freebies, ruling DMK and AIADMK have promised a
bonanza ranging from mixer, grinder to mineral water and free
rice.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, April 02, 2011, 23:57