Tamil Nadu Minister R Nirmal Kumar on Saturday alleged that DMK leaders had made derogatory remarks against women while campaigning for the Dharapuram Assembly bypoll, claiming that the comments had exposed the party leadership's "true character".
The language used by DMK president M K Stalin and his son and Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi during their recent campaign in the constituency showed their lack of vision for the future, the Energy and Law Minister said.
The Dharapuram bypoll is scheduled for October 6.
"The DMK leadership is in a state of utter desperation because they have nothing positive to offer the electorate. Resorting to inappropriate, derogatory language is their final, desperate tactic," he told reporters here.
He claimed that the DMK's political influence was declining and said voters would hand the party a decisive defeat in the bypoll.
Nirmal Kumar alleged that Stalin and Udhayanidhi had lost their self-control and made derogatory and offensive remarks against others, including a woman candidate, in an attempt to attract attention.
He described the DMK as a "harmful force" to society.
He said the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, which he belongs to and which heads the state government, would approach the Election Commission of India with a complaint over the alleged remarks.
Targeting the AIADMK, Nirmal Kumar claimed that the party was facing political decline under its general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami.
Responding to allegations of horse-trading levelled by rival parties ahead of the bypoll, he dismissed them as baseless and described them as a misinformation campaign stemming from fears of electoral defeat.
To a question, he reiterated the state government's opposition to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
(With inputs from PTI)
