THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Amid the intense electoral battle for the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha seat, UDF candidate Shashi Thraoor and NDA’s Rajeev Chandrasekhar are engaged in yet another fight. The two candidates have been busy sending legal notices to each other for the alleged defamatory remarks from either side.
While it was Rajeev who first sent a legal notice to Tharoor to withdraw the “cash for vote” allegations against him and apologise, Tharoor hit back with a legal notice denying the charge and demanding an apology from Rajeev for making “false and fraudulent” allegations.
Rajeev, in his legal notice to Tharoor expressed shock over the ‘allegations’ reportedly made by Tharoor on a TV show. He said the statements were made with an intent to harm him. “It emphasises how such defamatory statements have harmed and disrespected the entire Christian community of Thiruvananthapuram and its leaders by accusing them of engaging in cash for vote activities,” the notice said.
The legal notice also stated that Tharoor concocted the allegations in order to influence voters. It also accused the sitting MP of spreading false news to subvert the process of free and fair election.
Tharoor responded with a legal notice to Rajeev, stating that he has not made any “false and malicious imputations” against the union minister either knowingly or unknowingly. The notice said Rajeev has not given any proof to support or validate the alleged claims. Tharoor asked Rajeev to withdraw his statements and tender an apology failing which legal action would be taken. “If your client ignores the demands of this notice and continues with his efforts and attempts to defame my client by raising false and fraudulent allegations and accusations against him, my client will be constrained to prosecute your client,” the legal notice said.