A. Tamilselvam, a member of the ruling N R Congress and close relative of Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, on Monday filed nomination as the party candidate for Indira Nagar by-poll. Accompanied by Mr. Rangasamy and other party workers, Mr. Tamilselvam filed his papers before Returning Officer G. Malar Kannan at the Labour Department office.
Before arriving at the Labour Department office with the candidate to file the nomination at around 1.30 p.m., the Chief Minister was closeted with his supporters to arrive at a consensus on the candidate. Selection of the candidate was a tardy affair and the name was kept a secret till the papers were filed because of the hard bargaining for the seat within the party. “Mr. Tamilselvam has filed the papers,” said Mr. Rangasamy after coming out of the Labour Department office.
Filing of nominations also witnessed some tense moments as the Chief Minister along with the candidate arrived in the Labour Department office, when Congress candidate V. Aroumogham was in the Returning Officer's chamber to file his nomination. Only after Mr Tamilselvam filed his papers, Mr Aroumogham completed the procedures.
When the Congress candidate led by former Chief Minister V. Vaithilingam came out of the Labour Department, they protested with the police for allowing Mr Rangasamy to take his official car inside the Department premises. They also questioned the officers for allowing the N R Congress workers to enter the premises when the papers were filed.
Later in the day, secretary of Puducherry unit of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam A. Anbalagan accused Mr Rangasamy of violating the model code of conduct and rules to be followed while the nomination papers were filed.
Accusing the Chief Minister of using his authority to enter the premises using his car and taking along with him a large number of supporters near the Labour Department office, he said it was a blatant violation of rules and procedures to be followed by ruling party at the time of elections. If no action was taken against the N R Congress candidate by the District Election Office here, the party would take up the issue with the Election Commission of India, he added.
