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Tuesday, Jan 06, 2009
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“Apprehension of tampering with EVMs baseless”

Special Correspondent

— Photo: S. James

JOINING HANDS: Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi campaigning for DMK candidate A. Latha Athiyaman (left) in Thirumangalam. Dayanidhi Maran, MP, is in the picture.

MADURAI: Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M. Karunanidhi on Monday described as “baseless” the allegation of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary Jayalalithaa that the ruling party was planning to tamper with the electronic voting machines.

Addressing an election meeting at Thirumangalam, Mr. Karunanidhi pointed out that the DMK had suffered defeats in the past and on those occasions the AIADMK had emerged victorious. “Does that mean that the AIADMK indulged in tampering,” he asked.

More than campaigning for their candidate, the AIADMK and its allies were indulging in lodging complaints with the election authorities.

They had even dragged IAS and IPS officers into the issue. “Luckily, they have left out the Chief Election Commissioner, N. Gopalaswami,” he said.

He took a dig at the Communists for “burying their policies for elections.”

The Chief Minister was also critical of the alliance between the AIADMK and the MDMK.

The Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA), which was described as ‘draconian,’ was given effect to in Thirumangalam by the previous AIADMK government, but now the victim of the act and the person who enforced it had joined hands in the Thirumangalam by-election, he said, referring to the arrest of MDMK general secretary Vaiko under the POTA by the Jayalalithaa government.

Mr. Karunanidhi recalled that he was the first to affix his signature on a petition demanding the release of Mr. Vaiko.

Not only did he sign the petition but also visited him in prison.

The Chief Minister also pointed out that Mr. Vaiko, who claimed to be the champion of Sethusamudram Ship Channel, was now in the company of those who opposed the project and wanted it scrapped.

Other speakers at the meeting hailed the development works carried out across Tamil Nadu in the last 31 months and described Mr. Karunanidhi as “people’s Chief Minister.”

Former Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran said the entire nation was watching the poll result of Thirumangalam.

DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin, Congress leaders Peter Alphonse and K. V. Thangkabalu, Finance Minister K. Anbazhagan and Electricity Minister Arcot N. Veeraswami spoke.

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