Many Opposition party candidates, who were in the fray in the R.K. Nagar byelection, have expressed shock and disappointment at the countermanding of the elections and accused the Election Commission of not doing enough to prevent distribution of money to voters.
“I am greatly shocked. In fact, T.T.V. Dhinakaran should have been disqualified,” AIADMK (Puratchi Thalaivi Amma) candidate E. Madhusudhanan said on Monday. Mr. Madhusudhanan claimed he was receiving tremendous support from the people of R.K. Nagar. “I got great confidence from the people,” he said.
The faction’s leader, O. Panneerselvam, said, “It is clear from this action of the EC that in the future money should not be distributed during elections.”
BJP candidate Gangai Amaran, said, “I am happy because the people of R.K. Nagar will get more money from all these three parties (the DMK and the AIADMK factions) again,” he said. “Large amounts of money have been distributed. The cancellation of the polls is good because it has now shown to the world who the wrong-doers are. There should be an end to all this (electoral corruption),” he said.
DMDK’s P. Mathivanan charged the Election Commission with failing to conduct the elections in a fair manner.
“Despite so many officials, many companies of CRPF couldn’t stop the distribution of money. I had taken a loan to contest in this byelection. Who will refund this? Will the EC repay my loan,” he asked.
“Why should all candidates suffer because of the wrongdoing of some candidates? It is like punishing a whole class just because one student copied in a test. How is that right,,” he asked.
He also blamed the EC for not bringing in enough changes to the system after the polls were countermanded in Aravakurichi and Thanjavur in 2016.
R. Loganathan of the CPI(M) too called for disqualification of wrong-doers.
“They have to set an example so that in the future such money distribution does not happen. Also, the EC should bring in all officials from the Centre and not involve State, corporation officials to run the show.”
Deepa welcomes move
MGR Amma Deepa Peravai’s leader J. Deepa, however, welcomed the move.
“They [Election Commission] should conduct the election in a fair manner. They could have undertaken the raids earlier itself. It is in a way good that it was conducted now because people now know that how corrupt this government is and it should not continue”.
