Voters throng Kumbakonam grocery shop with ‘bribe’ tokens distributed by politicos

THANJAVUR: K Sheik Mohammed (54), an owner of a grocery shop in Big Bazaar street in Kumbakonam, was in for a huge shock on voting day (Tuesday) as hundreds of people milled in front of his shop with tokens worth Rs 2,000 in their hands. 

The tokens had the name of the shop and address and were distributed reportedly by candidates contesting from Kumbakonam constituency. Mohammed has been running the grocery shop for the past 25 years. He had shut down his shop on Tuesday on the account of polling. As he was living on the first floor of the shop, he noticed large number of people crowding in front of the shop. On inquiring with them, he came to know about the incident. 

Talking to TNIE, he said, “ I’ve been running the shop for several years and I have never given such tokens. Around 500 people came to my shop on Tuesday. Most of them were from rural areas like Darasuram and Cholapuram. Later, I had to put up an announcement saying that I had nothing to do with the tokens allegedly issued by candidates. When asked if he was going to raise a complaint with the police, he said, “People returned disappointed and did not quarrel. Hence, there is no need  of a complaint.”