Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party president K. Annamalai on Tuesday wrote to Chief Election Commissioner, alleging “blatant abuse of power” by the ruling DMK in the Erode (East) bypoll and sought action against the party to ensure a free and fair election.
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In his letter, he said his party released a recording on January 29, which allegedly showed Minister K.N. Nehru and Congress leader E.V.K.S. Elangovan, who is contesting in Erode (East) as part of the DMK-led alliance, discussing in detail how to distribute money to voters.
Election officials and police personnel had seized “tokens” allegedly used for distributing cash from the vehicle of a DMK functionary. He claimed DMK members distributed two kilograms of meat to voters in a bid to bribe them.
He further claimed that ministers camping in the constituency were ready to pay ₹ 1,000 to ₹ 5,000 to the public to get their cooperation in dampening the campaign of the opposition candidate.
BJP leaders had already submitted a complaint to the Chief Electoral Officer in Tamil Nadu expressing their apprehensions. However, he alleged the CEO had not done anything significant to stop the ruling DMK, which according to him, had pinned its hope just on money to win the election since it did not have any achievements to highlight.
