Those giving money view you as dogs: Gangai Amaran to RK Nagar voters

Popular musician-filmmaker Gangai Amaran, who is contesting in RK Nagar by-election on behalf of the Bharatiya Janata Party, has urged people not to receive money for votes.

Gangai Amaran said those allegedly bribing voters see them as "dogs" and "servants".

The BJP candidate's comments came on a day when the AIADMK Amma, a faction of the AIADMK led by Deputy General Secretary TTV Dinakaran, complained to the Election Commission that a video that allegedly shows RK Nagar voters being given money to vote for it, was created by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and other Opposition parties.

Gangai Amaran, the brother of the legendary music composer Ilayaraja, is one of 62 candidates seeking election to the Assembly seat left vacant after the death of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.

Amaran’s willingness to stop his campaign vehicle and smile for selfies being the most obvious. At the beginning of the campaign, he picked up the microphone — the only time he did in the first hour — to instruct those carrying party flags to walk further ahead, because they were obstructing his view to the people on either side of the street.

"I am happy to contest in this by-election. I always had this dream of becoming a good politician and was waiting for the right time to contest. Finally, the time has come," he said.