02 February,2009 05:23 PM IST | | Chetan R
MLA spends a whopping Rs 3 crore to send 203 couples to Ooty
MLA Zameer Ahmad Khan is sending 203 just-married couples on a four-day honeymoon to Ooty this weekend. Sources say it will cost him a cost of whopping Rs 3 crore.
Zameer sponsored the marriage of 203 Muslim couples in his constituency, Chamarajpet, on Sunday. "The honeymoon is the highlight of this wedding," said Venkatesh, Zameer Ahmed's aide. "It's a first," he said.
However, Zameer Ahmed seems to have taken a leaf out of minister Krishnaiah Shetty's book. Shetty has been sending families from his constituency, Malur, to Tirupati.
A promise kept
The MLA would not reveal details of the money spent, but said he had fulfilled his prepoll promise. "I had promised to carry out the marriage of my people's children in the way I would my sister's. And I did," said Zameer. "I will also organise a mass marriage of Hindu couples in May in the same way."
The event, meant for poor couples, turned out to be a grand ceremony. "He bought gold worth Rs 20 lakh," said a source close to Zameer.
Gold galore
Zameer gifted each couple with 40 grams of gold. Each of the 203 brides were given a chain and earrings while the bridegrooms were given a ring and wrist watch.
He also gave each couple household goods, including a cupboard, stove, cot and a cooker.
Honeymoon
As for the honeymoon trip beginning on February 5, Zameer has arranged more than five buses and will sponsor their stay in Ooty.
He has also included sightseeing tours in Mysore and Kodaikanal.
He has even taken care of the couples' clothing pants and shirts for the bridegroom and saris and nighties for the brides.
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Spending over Rs 1.5 lakh on a couple, the MLA has spent more than Rs 3 crore on the event, said sources.
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