CHENNAI: The AIADMK on Monday urged the Election Commission to countermand the elections in five Assembly constituencies where top DMK leaders are contesting. The five are Kolathur (DMK president MK Stalin), Chepauk-Triplicane (DMK youth wing secretary Udhayanidhi Stalin), Trichy West (DMK principal secretary KN Nehru), Katpadi (DMK general secretary Durai Murugan) and Tiruvannamalai (former Minister EV Velu).
A team of AIADMK office-bearers led by Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar filed individual petitions for each of these constituencies alleging that money distribution by DMK men has been going on and that elections in these constituencies should be countermanded. The AIADMK also alleged that money distribution is taking place in the above five constituencies through Google Pay.
Talking to reporters, Jayakumar alleged that Durga Stalin, wife of MK Stalin, has been distributing Rs 10,000 each per women's Self Help Group in Kolathur. In the petition relating to Kolathur, the AIADMK alleged that Rs 5,000 each to the voters was being paid through G-pay. The Commission should cancel the candidature of MK Stalin, it said.
Meanwhile, at a press meet at the secretariat, when a scribe asked whether elections would be countermanded in constituencies where complaints regarding money distribution were being made as was done in the past, Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo said the State Election Department has been sending reports to the Election Commission on a daily basis on what is happening in the state. The Commission would take a final call.
In the petition relating to Chepauk-Triplicane constituency, the AIADMK said, "The affiliates and the associates of the candidate (Udhayanidhi Stalin) have been distributing amounts ranging from Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000 to voters since April 1 with the active aid of local election machinery. Also, Rs 5,000 is being paid to the voters through G-Pay. The online transaction should be monitored and stringent action should be taken against Udhyanidhi Stalin besides cancelling his candidature.
In the petition regarding Tiruvannamalai constituency, the AIADMK said the Income Tax Department had recovered unaccounted cash around Rs 25 crore from the premises associated with candidate EV Velu and the holding of such unexplained extent of cash has revealed the situation. The AIADMK also alleged that Velu has been distributing cash to voters through his associates. As such, the EC should cancel the candidature of Velu, it said.
In the petition relating to Katpadi constituency, the AIADMK said Kathir Anand, MP of Vellore constituency, has violated the model code by continuing to campaign for his father even during the 'silence period.'. Besides, DMK cadres are distributing around Rs 2,000 per voter in Katpadi constituency while concerned authorities have turned a blind eye to this distribution. Hence, the candidature of Durai Murugan should be cancelled and action should be taken against him, it said.
In yet another petition, the AIADMK charged that the Sun News channel has been repeatedly telecasting banned videos, clippings, footage intentionally knowing fully well that they are violating the model code of conduct and also they are trying to create enmity between two groups of people. Hence, the EC should issue a gag order to stop the telecast of the banned videos and clippings by Sun News and issue a show-cause notice regarding the ongoing telecast, said the AIADMK.