RAMANATHAPURAM
Claiming that he was not allowed to freely discharge his duties as an elected representative, actor-turned- politician Karunas, representing Thiruvadanai Assembly constituency, said he could not frequently visit his constituency and meet people due to “safety reasons.”
Talking to reporters here on Monday, he said, “I cannot visit my constituency and thank the voters because of a person, who claims that he is all-powerful in the district.” .
Mr. Karunas claimed that since he headed ‘Mukkulathor Pulipadai,’ a caste-based organisation, there were attempts to instigate caste clashes. “I am not scared for my life, but I don’t want to be a source of nuisance in the constituency,” he said.
He alleged that he had been avoiding visiting the constituency as a conspiracy had been hatched to turn a particular community against his outfit and he faced security threat. He accused the “all-powerful” politician of the district and the AIADMK government of blocking his movements. It may be noted that Mr. Karunas was elected to the assembly on the ‘Two Leaves’ symbol.
He had met Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on many occasions, taking up issues of the constituency, but nothing moved. “I have given 159 petitions to the Chief Minister in the last two years, but only three of them were looked into,” he said.
He could not stop illegal sand quarrying in the constituency. A shrimp farm had come up in a farm land in violation of rules and he could not get it closed, he said.
Asked whether he would step down, Mr. Karunas said he had told the Speaker that there was no point in his continuing as an MLA if he was not allowed to function freely.
