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Lakshmi Subramanian
Lakshmi Subramanian

CASH FOR VOTE

Will Modi's currency strike influence TN bypoll results?

PTI11_9_2016_000294B Government had on Tuesday announced demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination currency notes | PTI

With the Centre's decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes days ahead of the byelections in three constituencies in Tamil Nadu, which of the two Dravidian parties would feel the major pinch?

 

In May 2016, a few days before Tamil Nadu went for Assembly elections, the nook and corners of small lanes and streets in the capital city of Chennai were bustling with activities. Coupons with holograms for Rs 1,000 were distributed by children in the street corners to the voters to avoid visible cash distribution. The exchange took place in the dark and mostly at secret locations. Bribing people for votes was so brazen that more than Rs 100 crore were seized by election officers across the state and it was the biggest haul of cash seized in a state going for elections. 

Of course Tamil Nadu is known to be much notorious when it comes to money distribution and bribing voters during elections. This is more brazen during every byelection. 

Bribing for votes in the state can be traced back to 2003. It was when Sathankulam constituency near Tirunelveli in south Tamil Nadu went for bypolls that bribing voters first began. Though it was not cash, it was in-kind. In 2005, came the Gummidipoondi and Kancheepuram byelections, where Laddus were distributed to the voters, but with a gold nose stud in it. 

The practice became more obvious between 2006 and 2011 during which 11 constituencies in the state went for byelections. This was time when the notorious ‘Thirumangalam formula’ to distribute cash and other materials to the voters came into existence. Not only that, 2011 saw the most embarrassing time when Pudukottai went for byelections. People from one of the streets in Pudukottai staged a road roko saying they did not get cash for votes that was allegedly given to their neighbours in the next street.

In May 2016, when all the 234 constituencies went to vote, elections in two constituencies—Aravakurichi and Thanjavur—were suspended for the first time in the history of India, with the reason being the seizure of money close to Rs 105 cores meant for distribution in these two constituencies. 

Now the candidates of the ruling AIADMK and the DMK who are contesting the bypolls to Aravakurichi, Thanjavur and Thiruparankunram (which is going to vote due to the death of its elected MLA Seenivel) are in a fix. The three constituencies are going for byelections on November 19. The candidates are said to have been prepared to distribute cash and in-kind for purchasing votes, but the announcement withdrawing high denomination notes have put them in a catch 22 situation. 

While the opposition DMK has welcomed Centre's decision, saying it would help tap the blackmoney, the ruling AIADMK is silent. While AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa is still recuperating in the hospital, none of its second line leaders have come out to opine on the demonetisation move. 

It may be noted that in the last two decades, every byelection in the state has been won by the ruling party, be it the DMK or the AIADMK. This time too, the three constituencies, say the political observers, will be added to the existing numbers in the treasury benches.

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Topics : #Tamil Nadu | #currency

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