Independent candidate collects money from public to pay deposit

Coimbatore: To pay his election deposit, an independent candidate sought donations from the public and managed to collect Rs 10,000 on a single day on Friday and filed his nomination on the same day.
By paying the collected amount as election deposit at the Sulur taluk office, D Prabakaran, a resident of Karumathampati, filed his nomination papers as an independent candidate for Sulur assembly byelection. The byelection will take place on May 19.
Prabakaran said, “I received good response from the public who had donated between Rs 100 and Rs 1,000. A week ago, I had distributed pamphlets to the public listing out numerous protests that I took part along with Sulur residents for various causes,” he said. “I had also spread the message through WhatsApp and other social media,” he added. People donated through social media as well, he said.
Prabakaran contested in 2016 state assembly election as an independent candidate in Tirupur west constituency. At the time, he went on a fast for 11 days to bring a change in the system. He said he lost in the election as he did not do any campaign.
“This time, I am confident of getting more votes as this is my home constituency and I have been part of all the struggles and protests that the residents of Sulur conducted,” he added.
He was part of protests that took place in support of victims of Somanur bus stand roof collapse accident and protests that demanded the national highways department to extend its road near Karumathampati.