MADURAI: It rained cash during the 2009 byelection for Thirumangalam constituency. Later that year, money flowed through all the six Assembly segments under Madurai Lok Sabha constituency.
But now, the fear of disappointment has already gripped the voters, who had tasted pelf twice, thanks to the crack down by the Election Commission (EC) at various places.
Several tactics were employed to distribute money to voters during the Thirumangalam byelection, which the DMK won by a margin of 39,266 votes. Some people even received Rs 5,000 for their vote. During the Lok Sabha elections, the DMK institutionalised the concept by appointing field workers to handle every 100 voters - the cash came in covers with DMK slips in it. Those who complained of not getting money were even issued tokens for encashment later on.
As a result, DMK candidate MK Alagiri drubbed his CPI(M) rival P Mohan with a margin of 1,40,985 with the total polling percentage stood at 76.6 percent.
But now voters in and around Madurai are skeptical of such an bonanza. The district administration has been keeping tabs on the transit of all unaccounted money into the district as per the instructions of EC. So far, Rs 3.8 crore has been confiscated by the district administration.
Come what may, party workers at the grassroots level want to do their bit on money distribution this time too.