COIMBATORE: large-scale cash distribution to voters, AIADMK candidate from Coimbatore South K Amman Arjunan on Wednesday staged a sit-in protest outside the Collectorate and sought cancellation of polling in the constituency.
Arjunan claimed that the "men from Karur" were caught distributing money to the voters in Coimbatore and expressed concern over the rampant distribution of cash for votes in several parts of the constituency. He was indirectly referring to DMK's Karur strongman Senthilbalaji as playing cash politics. However, Senthilbalaji denied saying that if the opposition party had evidence, then it should submit it to the Election Commission of India.
Meanwhile, Arjunan, joined by alliance party members including BJP functionaries, accused election authorities of inaction despite repeated complaints backed by evidence.
“I am not concerned about victory or defeat; all I want is respect for the people’s mandate. But elections must be free and fair,” he said, urging strict action against those involved in distributing money.
He later submitted a petition to the District Collector and the Election Officer, Pavankumar G Giriyappanavar, demanding that the poll be countermanded.
Arjunan, the sitting MLA from Coimbatore North, is contesting in Coimbatore South against DMK’s V Senthilbalaji in the upcoming elections.
In a related development, independent candidate Velmurugan also staged a protest near the Collectorate raising similar allegations. Meanwhile, Naam Tamilar Katchi candidate V Perarivalan opposed any move to cancel the election and submitted a petition to that effect.