As Cauvery river runs dry, cash floods Tamil Nadu elections

Coimbatore: The Cauvery river might be drying up, but money is flowing freely through Tamil Nadu ahead of the upcoming polls. Reports are emerging from across districts, especially in the western and southern belts, of parties across the board indulging in "cash for votes" practices in the last leg of campaigning, which ended on Wednesday. The going rate ranges from ₹1,000 to Rs 5,000 in several districts, and is not restricted to cash alone, with coupons also being distributed. The rampant practice typically occurs in the wee hours, and despite multiple checkposts, people have managed to game the system.

"I have five members in my family, and we were given Rs 1,500 per vote by one party," a resident of Tiruppur said. "That amounts to Rs 7,500 for my entire family. We're waiting for other parties to give us the same amount. With prices rising for everything, any amount helps, so we look forward to election time because we know we will get some money."

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Some people have even travelled back to their hometowns from their workplaces to avail the cash distributed during elections.

"I work in Chennai, but I'm from Erode, so I have come back home not just to vote but also to receive the cash, because that is almost guaranteed during election time," a resident of Coimbatore said.

There are, however, numerous checkposts, and police has been stopping vehicles for searches, especially at night. But for locals who know their way around, this is not much of a hindrance, those cited above said. Calls are made and discreet locations are chosen for the transfers.

"We are doing everything we can," a police official at a checkpost near Kondamuthur on the outskirts of Coimbatore told ET. "We are checking every vehicle that passes by, especially at night, but we cannot be everywhere. People familiar with the area travel through smaller roads and choose meeting points for these cash transfers that are unlikely to be patrolled or actively monitored."

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Instances of "cash for votes" have surfaced frequently, especially in the last few days. Late on Sunday, a scuffle broke out between AIADMK and DMK workers over alleged cash distribution by suspected DMK supporters in Coimbatore. A day later, a purported video of an AIADMK candidate instructing cadres on cash distribution in Tenkasi went viral. Last week on Wednesday, a curious incident occurred in Pollachi, where people lined up on the streets to protest not receiving cash from parties.

The incident in Coimbatore (South) gained traction on social media, particularly as the constituency is witnessing a three-cornered contest between DMK strongman Senthil Balaji, AIADMK's trusted lieutenant Amman K Arjunan, and TVK's political greenhorn Senthil Kumar. On Sunday night, AIADMK cadres intercepted a group of individuals, allegedly from Balaji's home district of Karur, accusing them of distributing cash to voters. The incident occurred on 80-Feet Road in Ramanathapuram, where AIADMK workers detained three persons.