DMK's Nilgiri candidate A Raja casting his vote for Lok Sabha elections in Vellore village near Perambalur.
Just how damaging can corruption be as a political issue has been put to the test in the Niligiris, the popular summer tourist destination in Tamil Nadu which is also famous for its tea. Contesting from this Lok Sabha constituency is former Union Telecom Minister
A Raja, the prime accused in the 2G spectrum allocation scam who is presently out on bail. (
2G case: Court to record statements of A Raja, others from May 5)
Mr Raja won from this constituency in 2009 and is trying for a second term. The DMK's Dalit face, he spent 15 months in the Tihar central jail. His opponent, C Gopalakrishnan, contesting on the AIADMK ticket, is banking on the voters' disillusionment with corrupt politicians to wrest the seat. (
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The AIADMK candidate told NDTV that the allegations against Raja meant that he stood no chance of winning.(
For A Raja, a list of questions from CBI - 1,800 to be exact)
The 2G scam has, of course, grabbed headlines and media space, and for some voters in the Nilgiris, corruption is an important factor guiding their voting preferences. One young woman, a first-time voter, told NDTV in Ooty that corruption was the trigger for the other problems, including water shortage and environment-destruction.
Mr Raja is relying on the relief work undertaken by him after the devastation caused by the torrential rains of 2009 to notch up his third successive win. A voter in Coonoor said he believed that this factor would weigh heavily with local voters, even more than the 2G scandal. (
DMK's A Raja campaigns to move past the taint of 2G scam)
But there are a lot of other problems afflicting this beautiful corner of India that have emerged as a source of worry to the people. In Coonoor, the scarcity of drinking water is uppermost in the minds of several residents. Some places in the mountain town get water only once in two or three weeks. (
Full Coverage: Elections)
The fluctuating price of tea, and rampant and unplanned development are other areas of concern.
And for the youth, growing unemployment is another major sore point.