The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Bharatiya Janata Party have filed separate complaints with the Election Commission demanding disqualification of Congress candidate A. John Kumar from contesting the Kamaraj Nagar byelection.
In their complaints to the Commission on October 8, the parties have alleged that the ruling party had violated the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by organising a seminar on ‘Slowdown of Indian economy’, at Kamban Kalaiarangam.
Leader of the AIADMK in the Legislative Assembly, A. Anbazhagan, said in his complaint that Kamban Kalaiarangam is a public property which could not be utilised for party functions when MCC was in place. Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy and AICC secretary Sanjay Dutt were the main speakers for the seminar held on October 6. It was a clear case of violation of MCC, he said.
BJP Puducherry unit president V. Saminathan in his letter said the Chief Minister, who was the chief guest at the seminar, used the occasion to seek votes for the Congress candidate. The Chief Minister was using the official machinery to campaign for his party candidate, he added.
Both the parties have requested the Commission to disqualify the Congress candidate from contesting the byelection.
