Minister Nilofer rescues 2 partymen locked up for ‘distributing money’

When Labour Minister and Vaniyambadi resident Nilofer Kafeel came to know about it, she went to the spot with her supporters. Her personal assistant broke open the lock with a hammer and rescued the partymen while Kafeel, who was seated in her car, demanded to know what right rival party had to lock up members of the ruling party. 

NTK (Naam Tamilar Katchi) candidate Deepalakshmi said that DMK and AIADMK members were canvassing support for their parties openly at Vallipattu in Vaniyambadi constituency. “Though campaigning ended on Saturday evening, some cadres from both parties were openly canvassing. They even sought my vote for the AIADMK as they did not know I was also a candidate” she told DT Next.

According to sources, DMK workers informed the returning officer and collector A Shanmugasundaram of the incident following which paramilitary forces were sent to chase away the canvassing cadres away.

Election rules stipulate that no such work should be undertaken within 100 metres of a polling station with a white line always being drawn to mark this limit. Though party cadres usually sit under a shamiana beyond this point and hand out booth slips to voters, Deepalakshmi revealed that both DMK and AIADMK openly touted their party symbols and colours to lure voters.

Meanwhile, Saidapet area in Vellore town witnessed some tense moments when youth belonging to a particular minority community demanded that they be allowed to vote without identity cards in booths 41 and 45. AIADMK district  treasurer M Moorthy who was informed of this, and the police were immediately called in who then chased the men away.