Many leading politicians from mainstream parties in Tamil Nadu have stated in their affidavits that they possess dozens of sovereigns of gold, but an independent candidate has taken it to an all-new level.
While filing his affidavit and nomination papers, Hari Nadar was seen adorning crores worth of gold ornaments around his wrist and in his wrists, fingers.
39-year-old Hari has filed the nomination to contest from Alangulam constituency, Tirunelveli district in the southern part of Tamil Nadu. As per his affidavit, he owns movable assets worth over Rs 12.61 crore, of which Rs 4.73 crore is of his jewellery that weighs a whopping 11.2 kg.
His affidavit says that he is a businessman and a social worker, and that he has 15 criminal cases pending against him. His highest education qualification is SSLC, which is the equivalent of 10th grade.
In a video, he is seen handing over the nomination documents to the returning officer, while adorning kilos of jewelry and accessories, all made of the yellow metal. Hari Nadar is the coordinator of the fringe party Panangattu Padai Katchi.
Meanwhile, another independent candidate Santosh (42) went to file his nomination from Thanjavur constituency in Tamil Nadu on Monday carrying a watermelon. He said that he came to file his nomination with the fruit as it was his allotted election symbol. He is contesting on the same symbol for the fourth time in a row.
Thanga Shanmugasundaram, a representative of a farmers association on Monday paid his election deposit in coins and old rupee notes when he filed his nomination from the Ariyalur constituency. In another similar incident from Nagapattinam assembly constituency, an independent candidate Baskar filed his nomination paying his security deposit with Rs 20 notes which took officials a long time to count, thus attracting media attention.
Tamil Nadu goes to the polls in a single-phase on April 6 and the results will be out on May 2. Polls will be held for 234 seats in the state with the Congress-DMK and BJP-AIADMK alliance being the major groups contesting against each other.
