Tamil Nadu polls: A doctor's prescription for voters; BJP's Dr Saraswathi offers free knee surgery

Septuagenarian C K Saraswathi who is seeking her electoral fortunes from Modakkurichi Assembly constituency in the district on a BJP ticket has offered free knee surgeries to the deserving.

This medical doctor by profession makes it a point to wear a face mask during her fervent election campaign and braves the soaring mercury to engage in hectic electioneering.

Her prescription for a healthy constituency also includes attuning the young minds through introduction of moral instruction and religious books, nurturing talent, particularly at village level and ensuring employment.

Notwithstanding the welfare schemes assured by her BJP, Saraswathi has offered knee surgeries to the deserving, at her personal expense.

"I heard that several people in the constituency are suffering from knee problems and being poor they are unable to afford expensive treatment. The affected persons may come to my hospital for treatment and knee surgery free of cost after the election," Dr Saraswathi told P T I.

Modakkurichi from where the 76-year old soft-spoken doctor is contesting has been a bastion of the AIADMK in whose alliance the BJP is now contesting the April 6 elections.

The AIADMK had retained the seat continuously for a decade and has parted with the segment to the saffron ally this time.

Saraswathi is pitted against former DMK minister and party senior Subbulakshmi Jegadesan.

She focuses about the welfare schemes being implemented for the people by the BJP-led government at the Centre and the AIADMK government in the state.

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Highlighting the salient features of the poll manifesto of the two parties, she says both the centre and state governments took effective measures to contain the spread of coronavirus.

Talented rural youth will be identified and trained to excel in international sports competition. Apart from providing sports complexes for rural youth she has promised to encourage Jallikattu bull tamers by ensuring them a quota in government jobs.

Introduction of digital education in all government schools is among her other promises.

Saraswathi said would she also strive for obtaining national recognition for the traditional Tamil martial arts Silambam.