VELLORE: The race between the Dravidian majors to enrol new cadre in view of the upcoming Parliament polls has resulted in allegations of poaching.
Former AIADMK Vellore district secretary and chairman of the Vellore Central Cooperative Bank (VCCB) V Ramu has alleged that the DMK was using underhand tactics to enrol cadre. “Members of the DMK are threatening beneficiaries of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) to join their party, otherwise they will be removed from the scheme,” he claimed. According to him, one such incident happened at Balekuppam hamlet in Magimandalam village panchayat in Katpadi block.
Sources in the district pointed out that the going has been tough for the DMK functionaries after the spurious liquor deaths in Chengalpattu and Villupuram districts recently. Free availability of illicit arrack and ganja in rural areas have also dented the image of the DMK.
The allegation comes in the backdrop of AIADMK’s recent enrolment drive in Vellore reportedly taking away families, which traditionally supported the DMK.
The DMK functionaries are also accused of carrying a photocopier and collecting copies of ration, Aadhaar, voter cards and phone numbers, especially from women in SN Palayam and Goddarpalli hamlets of Balekuppam village panchayat. “They are doing this in the guise of collecting details for providing Rs 1,000 to the women heads of families under the DMK government scheme. Some of the affected women informed me,” Ramu added.