Wake-up call
The global democratic landscape in 2024 reveals an unsettling yet fascinating trend. Across continents, voters have upended incumbents, embraced polarising ideologies, and gravitated toward both Right and Left-wing populism.
A helicopter, iPhone, three-storey house with swimming pool, a sum of Rs 1 crore to every household, a robot to do housework, 100 sovereigns of gold for women when they’re getting married, Rs 1 crore to youth who wish to start businesses, Rs 10 lakh per month for people with disabilities, canals with a boat for every household, a 100-day trip to the moon, a 300-feet artificial iceberg to keep the constituency cool and also a rocket launchpad…of course these are poll promises of an independent candidate in Tamil Nadu Assembly election. And to be honest he promises these utopian freebies to make people aware of the hollowness of the promises political parties put forward to them. And sarcastically.
The independent candidate from South Madurai ,Thulam Saravanan is a serious contender. And his poll promises have gone viral. When you know that the aspiring politician’s symbol is the dustbin, you may get the taste of sarcasm more. His posters in the constituency say, “Nermayin chinnam kuppaithotti” , which could be translated as “the symbol of honesty is the dustbin.”
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According to the 33-year-old’s affidavit, he has Rs 10,000 cash in hand and Rs 2,000 in the bank. This is also astonishing when you know that most of the 4,000 odd candidates in the fray are crorepatis.
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Saravanan, a reporter with a local daily, wanted to create awareness among voters about the false promises political parties making. Particularly to aware youths about it.
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