COIMBATORE: Representatives of the Arunthathiyar Community Federation (ACF) appealed to the State Election Commission to transfer all election officials in Coimbatore district on Wednesday, citing actions favouring the DMK.
Addressing the media, Ukkadam Nagenthran, coordinator of ACF alleged that DMK functionaries are violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) across the district, especially in Coimbatore North, Coimbatore South and Thondamuthur Assembly constituencies.
"DMK functionaries, in an attempt to attract voters, are issuing coupons and offering earrings, nose studs, etc. to the people. Moreover, the people are also confined in sheds to prevent them from attending campaigns of the candidates of the AIADMK-BJP alliance. Most of the election officials in the Coimbatore South constituency are favouring the DMK party. However, the State Election Commission has not yet taken steps to replace them," he said.
A Maruthachalam, the Chairman of the National Depressed Classes Peoples Federation, who was also at the press conference, announced the community's support to the AIADMK-BJP alliance in the Assembly election.
"We have been extending support to the AIADMK candidates as only the AIADMK will protect our community members. We hope that the AIADMK will come to power again considering the prevailing situation. During the five years of the DMK regime, police foisted several cases against Dalit youths," he said.
"We request the AIADMK government, which will be ruling the state after May 23 to initiate a probe against the killing of Dalit youths during the DMK regime," Maruthachalam demanded.
Suspecting chances of malpractices on the polling day on April 23, Maruthachalam demanded election authorities to deploy CRPF.
"Considering the work of election officials, especially in Coimbatore South constituency, we suspect that the election is being held only for councillors and not for choosing MLAs. We have lost hope in the election officials in the Coimbatore South constituency," he said.
(ACF consists of several organisations of the Aruntathiyar community. Nagenthran is the chairman of the Tamil Nadu Arunthathiyar Samoothaya Maha Sabai.)