Campaigning ends for RK Nagar, EC baffled at money distribution

High decibel campaigning for the by-polls in Dr Radhakrishnan Nagar (RK Nagar) Assembly constituency in north Chennai, which was last represented by former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, ended on Tuesday evening even as the Election Commission of India could only partially succeed in preventing bribery of voters.

The RK Nagar seat had fallen vacant following Jayalalithaa’s death on December 5 last year and an attempt to conduct a byelection in April last failed after it came to light that the AIADMK (Amma - as the ruling party was known then) had allegedly planned to distribute Rs 89 crore at the rate of Rs 4,000 per voters in the labour-dominated constituency. The Election Commission had rescinded the by-poll notification following evidence of bribery unearthed during an Income Tax Department search conducted at the premises of State Health Minister C. Vijaya Baskar.

With top contenders seeing this as a prestigious battle, attempts to bribe voters have been made on a full scale in the constituency despite the Election Commission putting in place security measures on an unprecedented scale. The poll body’s attempts to curb the money flow as a ground assessment shows. The Election Commission itself has seized over Rs 32 lakh cash as on date.

“The rates are Rs 6,000 upwards per voter. Some parties are giving us Rs 2,000. For a family of four, we got over Rs 20,000 in the past week and it has come in handy to settle an EMI,” said a voter in Korukkupet who did not want to be identified.

“People are getting paid for everything. It is not just votes. For each headcount at the rallies, we are being paid,” said another resident in Tondiarpet. An inquiry revealed that party cadres were paying Rs 300 to the womenfolk for drawing the symbol of the party as rangoli outside their doorsteps when leaders of the respective parties are campaigning.