Friday, Feb 14, 2003
Friday, Feb 14, 2003 |
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Tamil Nadu
By Our Tamil Nadu Bureau
The party was now collecting documentary evidence to prove the irregularities, which included opening of about 11,000 accounts in post offices and issue of VAO certificates to about 11,000 persons and the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board certificates to about 3,000 people. The Congress would appeal to the EC not to allow people with these documents to cast their votes. The party, contesting an election on its own after a long time in the State, would win if a free and fair poll was held, Mr. Balakrishnan said. But there was a widespread apprehension that the AIADMK would "indulge in irregularities". Already 10 Ministers were camping, with their "henchmen" well entrenched in villages, in the constituency. Amid fears that the State police "would be misused", the Congress would appeal to the EC to despatch Central forces. Its directive to have Central Government employees as polling officers was itself a warning to the State Government, Mr. Balakrishnan felt. This was also testimony to the fact that the EC did not have faith in the State Government staff. The Chief Minister's decision to tour the constituency for five days showed that the AIADMK had been gripped by a fear of defeat. The only constraint faced by the Congress was its inability to match the AIADMK in finding funds, he said. Referring to Ms. Jayalalithaa's stand that she did not write a letter to the late former Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi against her mentor, M.G. Ramachandran, Mr. Balakrishnan said it was unbecoming of a Chief Minister to deny something, which had been in the news about 12 years ago.
'Voters keen on ringing in changes'
Meanwhile, the AICC secretary, G. K. Vasan, told The Hindu here that political parties, which are interested in saving Tamil Nadu from the "AIADMK misrule", should come together and support the Congress in the byelection. The voters were keen on taking the credit for ringing in changes in the political scenario of the State. On allegations of misuse of the official machinery in Sattankulam, Mr. Vasan said the party had been receiving complaints and specific cases would be brought to Election Commission notice. There was an apprehension in the constituency that the AIADMK would not want the people to exercise their franchise freely. However, the Congress had full faith in the EC which, it believed, would take all steps to conduct a free and fair poll. The Congress leader accused the State Government of "being lethargic" and not streamlining schemes such as distribution of free rice, for the drought-hit people, especially in delta districts.
'Benefits to flout code'
In Chennai, the TNCC working president, E.V.K.S. Elangovan, said the AIADMK planned to use Ms. Jayalalithaa's birthday as an excuse "for flouting the model code yet again in Sattankulam". Recalling that Ms. Jayalalithaa had asked her partymen to restrict the celebration to distribution of benefits to the poor, Mr. Elangovan said what she said was an indirect order to the cadres to give away benefits in the constituency. He requested the EC to ensure that no such distribution takes place in Sattankulam.
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