Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M. Karunanidhi on Tuesday appealed to his “friend” and “able administrator” Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately intervene to ensure a free and fair election in Tamil Nadu on May 16.
Addressing an election meeting here, Mr. Karunanidhi expressed surprise that Mr. Modi had not initiated action on his letter that called for bringing to book all those behind the huge cash seizures in the State. “People who were acting as ‘middlemen’ for Ministers should not be allowed to go scot-free. The matter should be investigated and no leniency should be shown towards those plundering taxpayers’ money. If the Prime Minister remained silent, those responsible for stashing money would have a free run,” he said. Referring to the recent shuffling of high-level officials by the EC, Mr. Karunanidhi wanted to know why AIADMK MP M. Thambidurai should seek revocation of the transfers by coming all the way from Delhi to Thiruvananthapuram.
The subtle message conveyed by Mr. Thambidurai was that those close to the AIADMK government should not be transferred, he alleged. Those wielding power erred in their duty and hence had to be shifted. Referring to the granite scam, Mr. Karunanidhi alleged that quarry permits issued during the AIADMK regime of 1991-96 were marred by irregularities and a Madras High Court verdict of March 12, 1998 highlighted this.
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