Egyptian parliamentary candidates in elections set for later this month, are wooing poor voters in the southern city of Assiut with free meat, the semi-official newspaper Al Ahram reported Friday.
The contenders are seizing the occasion of the Muslim Eid al-Adha, starting on Sunday, by distributing bags of fine-quality meat carrying their photos to the poor residents in the city, according to the report.
The local media have reported that prices of meat products have increased ahead of Eid al-Adha on which eating beef is a tradition for those that can afford it.
More than 11,000 contenders are vying across Egypt for the 498-seat parliament in the three-round elections set to begin on November 28. Campaigning for the vote ends on November 26.
The elections will be the first in Egypt since a popular uprising toppled former president Hosny Mubarak in February.