Tamil Nadu Election 2021: Kamal Haasan was accompanied by his daughter Shruti Haasan.
Money was being freely distributed by political parties among voters since yesterday night, Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder Kamal Haasan today alleged as polling proceeded across Tamil Nadu for the state's next Legislative Assembly. In his complaint to the returning officer in the Coimbatore South Constituency, where he is contesting from, the veteran actor said he had evidence of electoral malpractices being carried out in poll booths.
"We have certain problems in certain booths. But the main complaint is that a free-for-all distribution is happening all around since yesterday night. They are doing it very deviously and very quickly, so there isn't enough to call..." Mr Haasan said, accompanied by his actress-daughter Shruti Haasan.
"We have caught hold of some tokens and some methodology...the modus operandi is very clear. They (election officials) will be looking into it," he said.
The 66-year-old clarified that he was not protesting or stopping the polling process, but was here to complaint.
Talking to NDTV, his elder daughter, Shruti Haasan, said she was positive about the election results going by the effort her father and his party had put in.
"I'm just accompanying him (Mr Haasan). I have just come to support him as a daughter. I hope that everything is done in the right way," Ms Haasan said.
His MNM is eyeing major gains in the polls in a state for decades dominated by the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhakam (AIADMK) and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). Launched less than three years ago, the MNM was one of the first off the mark in campaigning for the elections.
In Coimbatore South, he is facing off the BJP's Vanathi Srinivasan and the Congress's Mayura S Jayakumar, among others.