Congress candidate for Virudhunagar Lok Sabha constituency, B. Manickam Tagore, has clarified that the forms distributed to voters were the guarantee cards on the poll promises made by the party.
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In a statement released through video clipping, Mr. Tagore said that similar guarantee cards were distributed to voters by the Congress party during the Assembly elections in Karnataka and Telagana. “The guarantee card is nothing but the manifesto with the signatures of the Congress leaders as an assurance given to people. We get the name and mobile numbers of the voters to whom the cards are handed over. Not just did we give guarantees, but we have also implemented them after coming to power in both the States,” he said.
Now, the Congress has released its manifesto and among the guarantees, the party has printed the Mahalakshmi Scheme through which the poor women heads of family would get ₹1 lakh annual assistance. “It is a guarantee given by the AICC president, Malligarjun Kharge, and Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi. It is printed with their signatures,” he said.
He said both the BJP and the DMDK leaders were making allegations against the distribution of cards out of fear. “They do not want anything good to reach the people. Let them also give such guarantees instead of trying to cheat people with some promises,” he said.
The DMDK and BJP leaders had complained about distribution of cards and collecting of personal details of voters terming it illegal. A case had been registered in Virudhunagar district for disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant and for bribery.