VELLORE: While the candidates of major political parties are sweating out in the elections to Vellore Lok Sabha constituency, a cleric contesting as an Independent is hoping against hope.
Bishop Godfrey Noble, founder of All India Janagayaga Pathukappu Kazhagam, seeking the mandate with the hope of getting 'overwhelming' support of women. He is allotted the symbol of ring.
“I can see the overwhelming support of women wherever I move through for campaigning in the constituency,” he says.
Clad in the usual robe of priests, he is more often seen in the premises of the collectorate in Vellore submitting papers to the poll authorities.
He is generous in giving tall promises including Rs. 5 lakh bank loan for unemployed youngsters without any surety and setting up rain water harvesting structure for each house without any cost.
Godfrey Noble is also saying the voters can flog him in the midst of the road if he fails to fulfill the promises once elected to the Lok Sabha.
Above all, he has been fancying chances of securing votes as high as seven lakh.
“I am not joking, you are going to see that I secure seven lakh votes,” the Protestant cleric says.
Once a staunch supporter of late AIADMK leader and Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, he moved away from the party after her demise.
The cleric caused a flutter on the day of scrutiny of nominations when he opposed accepting the papers of both AC Shanmugam and DM Kathir Anand saying that the former was not a member of AIADMK and the latter was booked for corrupt practices following the Income Tax raids in April.
He earned the wrath of DMK men who allegedly went to the extent of assaulting him.