CHENNAI: DMK organisational secretary R S Bharathi on Thursday alleged that the Election Commission of India was functioning as the BJP’s ‘B Team’ across the country. He also alleged that BJP workers were going door-to-door collecting Voter ID details under the guise of distributing sample cheques worth Rs 10,000.
Speaking to reporters at the Anna Arivalayam, Bharathi said the party had lodged a complaint with the Election Commission over the BJP’s alleged voter data collection drive but no action had been.
“BJP workers are visiting homes, collecting Voter ID numbers and other details under the pretext of handing out sample cheques for Rs 10,000,” he said, adding that the AIADMK too was distributing pamphlets promising similar payouts.
Bharathi also accused Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu of giving Rs 70 lakh to an individual, which was subsequently distributed among BJP functionaries and later seized. He demanded action against Vembu and called for a thorough investigation by income tax department.
Responding to BJP former state president K Annamalai’s claim that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi would not visit Tamil Nadu for campaigning, Bharathi said, “Rahul Gandhi is arriving in Tamil Nadu tomorrow itself for campaigning. Annamalai was born in lies and raised in lies — that is how he talks,” he said.
Asked whether Chief Minister M K Stalin and Rahul Gandhi would campaign together, Bharathi said both leaders had independent schedules and there was no time for a joint campaign.