MNM’s Rangarajan crowdfunding his campaign

A classic example is Makkal Needhi Maiam’s South Chennai Parliamentary constituency candidate R Rangarajan, who has taken to social media to launch a crowdfunding drive to raise funds for his campaign.

Rangarajan, an ex-IAS officer and an executive committee member of the MNM, said that he wanted to raise a portion of the funds required for the election campaign from the public, his friends and well-wishers.

“It is a great responsibility to be contesting in South Chennai as MNM’s candidate. Look forward to your support to be the change that we want to see. Pl follow my campaign & also contribute at www.rangarajanias.com,” he tweeted.

“I am also appealing to my friends and like-minded people through Facebook. I am trying to raise some resources through them also. We want to run an honest campaign, unlike other parties raising funds to distribute money to voters,” he told DTNext.

Rangarajan’s crowdfunding move comes amid the successful campaign by former Jawaharlal Nehru University student leader Kanhaiya Kumar, who is contesting as CPI’s nominee from the Begusarai Lok Sabha seat in Bihar, raising over Rs 25 lakh as poll campaign fund.

A Lok Sabha seat candidate is allowed to spend up to Rs 70 lakh for his/her election campaign by the Election Commission.

Even, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi president Thol Thirumavalavan, whose party is contesting in two LS seats, has appealed for funds for his party’s election campaign. He and his party’s general secretary D Ravikumar are contesting from Chidambaram and Villupuram Parliamentary seats respectively as part of the DMK-led alliance. 

“Everyone knows how challenging the election field is. Of them, the biggest hurdle will be the financial one. To overcome this, I request your support and contribution,” Thirumavalavan appealed.