Chennai, July 20 (Inditop.com) The AIADMK and MDMK Monday decided to boycott the coming byelections in five assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu, alleging the polls would not be held in a free and fair manner. Other allies also hinted at following suit.
MDMK leader Vaiko Monday declared the party’s decision to boycott the polls while the Communist Party of India (CPI) has said that it would decide on the matter in couple of days. Speaking in Madurai, PMK leader S. Ramadoss claimed that the Election Commission has failed to curb distribution of money for votes in Tamil Nadu and it is pointless to contest the coming bypolls.
A resolution was passed at a meeting of the AIADMK’s executive committee at Coonoor Monday, announcing the party would boycott byelections to Cumbum (Theni district), Illayankudi (Sivaganga), Bargur (Krishnagiri), Sri Vaikungam (Tuticorin) and Thondamuthur (Coimbatore) assembly seats.
“With Congress government at the centre turning a blind eye to all the activities of DMK, it is doubtful whether the Election Commission (EC) would be able to conduct a free and fair poll and hence AIADMK has decided to boycott the byelections for the five assembly constituencies, scheduled Aug 18,” the resolution said.
The executive committee also authorised party chief J. Jayalalithaa to discuss the boycott issue with its alliance parties.
The resolution also accused the ruling DMK of having “unleashed violence, misused official machinery, threatened poll officials and indulged in many other undemocratic activities to win bye-elections to the assembly, local body elections and also the recent Lok Sabha elections”.
It also charged the DMK with removing the names of all those who would have voted for AIADMK from the voters list.
The AIADMK has alleged that the EC has turned a blind eye to the activities of DMK despite several complaints.
The resolution also stated that the electronic voting machine (EVM) can be rigged and many political parties have expressed their reservation on the machines.
With the AIADMK’s boycott decision, the byelections for the five assembly constituencies, scheduled Aug 18, is likely to be a tame affair for DMK-Congress combine.
rounak