With just hours left before polling, Kerala’s Palakkad Assembly constituency is embroiled in controversy over alleged cash and material inducements, leading to intervention by election authorities and heated exchanges between political parties. The issue arose when the Congress released videos showing BJP workers supposedly giving money to voters in Kannadi panchayat. The footage, filmed in Tharuvakkurissi, appears to depict an elderly woman receiving cash after a visit by NDA candidate Shobha Surendran and her team to a nearby grieving family.
The Congress alleges that after offering condolences, members of the candidate’s group approached the woman at the neighboring house, interacted with her, and handed her Rs 5,000. The surfaced visuals, just before the polls, have put the BJP on the defensive, with the Congress and UDF accusing them of trying to influence voters through cash distribution. In response, additional clips emerged showing the candidate confronting the individuals who recorded the incident, escalating tensions further.
Adding a twist to the situation, the elderly woman, identified as Devu, refuted claims of receiving money from BJP workers, stating that the cash in her possession was her pension. Her denial has introduced ambiguity into the controversy, amidst ongoing political tensions. Despite the cash controversy, new videos emerged from another area of the constituency, allegedly depicting the distribution of sarees to women. Congress leaders have lodged complaints with election authorities, citing the distribution of goods as a violation of electoral regulations.
MP and former Palakkad MLA Shafi Parambil criticized the incidents as a clear breach of rules, especially in light of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent campaign in the constituency. He emphasized that such actions undermine the integrity of the electoral process, expressing faith that voters will reject such inducements. The Election Commission swiftly responded by requesting a report from the District Collector and deploying flying squads to investigate the allegations. Offering cash or gifts to influence voters is a severe offense under the Representation of the People Act. As Palakkad gears up for polling, attention has shifted from campaign rhetoric to concerns about electoral integrity, with authorities tasked to verify the authenticity of the visuals and ascertain any potential violations.
