The nomination papers of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam candidate for the by-election to the Tiruchi West Assembly constituency K.N.Nehru was filed on his behalf by party treasurer and former deputy Chief Minister M.K.Stalin here on Friday.
Mr.Nehru, arrested in connection with two land grab cases, is now lodged at the Cuddalore Central Prison. By-election to the constituency, caused by the demise of the AIADMK’s Mariam Pitchai, is scheduled to be held on October 13.
Mr.Stalin, accompanied by former Forest Minister N.Selvaraj and G.M.Hasim, urban district president of the Indian Union Muslim League, filed the nomination papers before K.Sampath, Revenue Divisional Officer and Returning Officer of the constituency.
The former Transport Minister has declared total assets worth about Rs.17.77 crore on his and dependents names, including about Rs.2.73 crore worth of movable and about Rs.15.04 crore worth of immovable assets. Mr.Nehru would be pitted against AIADMK’s M.Paranjothi.
Speaking to reporters soon after, Mr.Stalin asserted that the nomination of Mr.Nehru was an indication that the party was ready to face the cases foisted against its members by the AIADMK government. “Both Mr.Nehru and the DMK are prepared to face any number of cases,” he said.
The AIADMK regime’s “autocratic” measures and attempts to stifle democracy and the foisting of cases against DMK members would form the party’s poll plank in the by-election.
Party president M.Karunanidhi would campaign in support of Mr.Nehru and the dates of his visit to Tiruchi would be decided soon. Mr.Stalin would attend a party workers meeting to be held in Tiruchi on September 27 to chalk out the campaign strategy.
Mr.Stalin, who earlier visited the Tiruchi Central Prison to call on A.Soundarapandian, Lalgudi MLA, and other office bearers, accused the prison authorities of imposing stringent restrictions on the party men lodged in the prison.
The party men had told him that they were threatened and disallowed to wear dhoties with party colours (borders). The party would view this seriously and take up the matter with the court and the Human Rights Commission.
A large number of DMK office bearers have been arrested in Tiruchi in an attempt to prevent the victory of the party in the by-election, he alleged.
