CHENNAI: MDMK principal secretary Durai Vaiko on Tuesday rejected allegations levelled by DMK’s Madurantakam candidate I Paranthamen that the MDMK leadership had pressured two of its MLAs to resign and contest the bypolls, and warned that the DMK and its leadership would face legal action over “forcing” alliance partners to contest on the ‘Rising Sun’ symbol.
He said the two MDMK MLAs, T M Rajendran of Kadayanallur and R Senthil Selvan of Sirkazhi, had been elected on the DMK’s Rising Sun symbol and were subsequently “taken away” by the DMK leadership. Both MLAs have refused to resign and said on August 5 that they would continue as DMK legislators. Durai Vaiko also alleged that the MDMK had faced pressure from the DMK shortly before the Assembly election to contest the Sirkazhi seat on the Rising Sun symbol, despite an earlier agreement allowing it to contest on its own symbol.
“By forcing alliance parties to contest on its symbol, in violation of democratic values, and the Election Commission’s rules, the DMK will soon be brought before the court to face legal action,” he said.
