The Dravida Munetra Kazhagam on Thursday alleged that the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam continued to violate the model code of conduct that was in force for the Yercaud by-election.
“Election officials are hesitant to take action against the ruling party despite our repeated petitioning of the officials concerned,” DMK district secretary (in-charge) S.R. Sivalingam told presspersons.
The party’s Rajya Sabha MP, T.M. Selvaganapathy, and Pon. Muthuramalingam, who is the party in-charge for the by-election, also listed the alleged violations and said they made fresh complaints to Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Praveen Kumar.
They produced photographs and videos to support their claims of violations by the AIADMK on November 13 when its nominee P. Saroja filed her papers.
In the petition to the CEO, Mr. Sivalingam alleged that Highways Minister Edapadi K. Palanisamy came to the district Collectorate that day in a private car (TN 52 K 10) bearing the party flag. “His vehicle was accompanied by an escort vehicle with armed policemen. The police personnel who were at the Collectorate did not stop them,” he said.
Mr. Sivalingam pointed out that this took place on the premises of the office of the District Electoral Officer (DEO) and the Returning Officer for the by-election.
“Sadly, no police or election official stopped them. Ministers, MPs and a few leading AIADMK functionaries landed outside the premises in more than 40 cars with party flags,” the petition added. “Later, the Ministers and other leading AIADMK functionaries went in a procession in more than 100 cars with the party flags for the inauguration of the party’s election office at Ayothiyapattinam on Wednesday. The party cadre also removed the fence of nearby government poromboke land and illegally used it to park their vehicles,” he added.
Nine independent candidates filed their nomination papers on Thursday, the fifth day of filing of papers.
So far, 21 candidates, including the DMK’s V. Maran and the AIADMK’s P. Saroja, have filed their nominations.
Filing of nominations will end on November 16.
