Many believe that the Thirumangalam formula — wooing voters with cash — is an evil that will be part of elections in the State no matter what.
But Aloor Shanavas, the young and articulate candidate of the VCK who is making his electoral debut from Kunnam in Perambalur district, believes he can reverse the trend by raising money for his campaign fund from people.
Mr. Shanavas — a popular face thanks to his frequent appearances on television talk shows over the past couple of years — recently put up a Facebook post calling for contributions to help him meet campaign expenses. “I am not from an affluent family nor do I have a political background. Though my chances of winning are bright, funds remain a problem. I am taking on parties with big money power. Your help, even if it is just a rupee, will be of great help to me. Help me, my loved ones,” he posted soon after announcing his candidature.
Though the move raised eyebrows in political circles, the response, the candidate says, has been tremendous.
“The message was shared by a large number of people in Facebook and WhatsApp. It has reached voters even in the villages. In a single day, I received Rs.3 lakh.”
Mr. Shanavas believes that this can be a turning point in Tamil Nadu politics.
“The first question that major parties put to ticket seekers is how much they can spend. Candidates also get funds from industrialists and other big shots that they use to bribe voters. Hence, once elected, they do not feel responsible to the voters. But since I am spending public money, I am responsible only to the people and not to anybody else.”
Mr. Shanavas believes that anybody can contest the elections with much less money than the Rs. 28-lakh ceiling fixed by the Election Commission. “We don’t need money to meet people. I am confident that I will be able to keep the expenditure well below the limit.”
Keeping his campaign simple and direct, Mr. Shanavas plans to reach out to voter and visit every household in the 466 villages in his constituency starting May 1.
Aloor Shanavas says he received Rs. 3 lakh in
a single day
after plea for help
