Co-op polls marred by violence in Tirupur district, cancelled

The DMK partymen alleged that while supporters of AIADMK, led by former Minister MSM Anandan, were allowed inside the hall, their entry were being denied. 

Following this, the DMK men along with some CPI (M) party workers tried to barge in by breaking the police cordon. However, the AIADMK cadre blocked them from entering the hall, which led to a clash between the two groups. 

Police then resorted to a lathi-charge to disperse the DMK cadre. In the melee, police dragged away some of them. Few DMK men sustained injuries due to this. 

Upset with the police behaviour, the DMK cadre raised slogans demanding the cancellation of the polls. They alleged that poll officials were behaving in a partisan manner by allowing only AIADMK men into the hall. 

However, AIADMK workers dismissed the DMK demand and insisted that polls be held. As tension escalated, Returning Officer Shobha announced cancellation of the polls. 

Tirupur North district secretary of CPM K Selvaraj said election officers were favouring the ruling party. “The AIADMK is trying to hold the polls in an undemocratic manner with the support of poll officials and police,” he said. 

CPM party members later submitted a petition to Tirupur District Collector, stating that irregularities are rampant in the cooperative polls.   

Similarly, DMK, CPM and BJP workers staged demonstration and road roko on Tirupur Kumaran Road and Andipalayam, alleging that their party men were sidelined during nominations for the cooperative society polls. 

In Coimbatore, DMK MLA N Karthik alleged that AIADMK cadre were preventing other party candidates from filing their nominations for Transport Corporation Employees Cooperative Society polls. He sought police protection for all candidates.  

Similarly, DMK cadre staged protest and road roko in Salem. They alleged that poll officials were being partisan to AIADMK, even as they held ruling party men to be high-handed.