LS polls: Cash distributed during Congr candidate Manickam's campaign in Madurai

MADURAI: Currency notes were distributed during an election campaign for the Congress's Virudhnagar candidate for the Lok Sabha elections, Manickam Tagore, an official said. In a video clip that was widely shared on social media platforms on Wednesday, cash was purportedly seen being distributed to the attendees during an event for Manickam Tagore's campaign in Virudhunagar.

Superintendent of Police, BK Arvind, confirmed the veracity of the video clip from Madurai. Earlier, on Wednesday, Tagore addressed party supporters and locals during an election campaign in Madurai.

Speaking to ANI, Tagore hailed the Congress's 'Nyay Patra' or manifesto for the seven-phased Lok Sabha elections, saying, "There is tremendous energy among the people here at this event of 'Mahalakshmi'. Our manifesto speaks about the people. The people are responding positively to our 'Nyay Patra'."

On Prime Minister Modi's visits to Tamil Nadu, Tagore said regardless of his visits to the southern state, Tamil Nadu stands with Chief Minister MK Stalin. "No matter how many times PM Modi visits our state, he will continue to be rejected by the Tamils. Tamil Nadu stands with CM MK Stalin and his target of winning 40 out of 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state will be accomplished," Tagore said.

Voting for all 39 seats in Tamil Nadu will be held in the first phase of the general elections on April 19. In the 2019 general elections, the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, comprising the Congress, VCK, MDMK, CPI, CPI(M), IUML, MMK, KMDK, TVK, and AIFB, registered a landslide victory, winning 38 of the 39 seats in the state. In 2019, DMK won 23 Lok Sabha seats with a 33.2 per cent vote share, Congress bagged 8 seats with a 12.9 per cent vote and CPI won two seats in Tamil Nadu. The election for 543 Lok Sabha seats in the country will be held in seven phases starting April 19. The counting of the votes will take place on June.