COIMBATORE: While 11 people filed nomination papers for the Sulur bypoll, on Friday, one independent candidate managed to stand out. With the idea of furthering the acceptance of the misrepresented Rs 10 coins, D Prabakaran from Karumathampatti paid his deposit of Rs 10,000 in coins of that denomination. At a time when employees of government institutions too are hesitating to accept the coins, he said that it felt duty-bound to work against the stigma.
What more, a part of the deposit amount came from public contribution. He had reached out to the public and asked for Rs 1 from each of them. Around 1,500 people in many villages of Sulur contributed towards the sum, he said.
Expressing disappointment over political parties, Prabakaran claimed that he had no desire to get into politics but decided to take the plunge in an effort to make a change. The man is a social activist who is credited with leading several struggles against issues like sand mining in the Noyyal, delay of the Avinashi-Athikadavu project, and establishing TASMAC shops in Somanur. He had also advocated for relief for victims of Somanur bus stand roof collapse and fee exemption for locals near Kaniyur Toll Plaza.