Impartial action was taken in respect of incidents related to the just concluded urban civic polls in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister M K Stalin said on Monday.
Slamming AIADMK leader and former state minister D Jayakumar for taking 'law into his own hands' and 'humiliating' a DMK office-bearer here by 'removing' his shirt on the day of polls, Stalin said the DMK would face the matter legally and asserted that the 'law will take its own course.' Urban local body polls were held on February 19 and counting would be held on Tuesday.
Stalin's remark on Jayakumar was condemnable, senior AIADMK leader K Palaniswami said, while asserting that the former minister only handed over to police a man who attempted to cast a 'false vote' in north Chennai and asked if the Chief Minister considered it wrong.
Writing to party cadres, Stalin in an open letter said the DMK faced the urban civic polls based on the faith people reposed on the government and the party did not consider elections as a political battle.
The DMK regime's achievements were showcased and the party's victory became pretty evident during the campaign, he said. The opposition parties unleashed 'libel and false propaganda' during campaign and on the day of polls too against the DMK to hide their 'debacle', Stalin said.
Pointing to a poll 'war room' that was set up in DMK headquarters 'Anna Arivalayam' here to coordinate with party workers on the day of polls, he said appropriate legal steps were advised on election-related matters. Impartial action was taken even if there were allegations of some minor violations by DMK workers in one or two places, he said.
However, as regards the opposition, they went beyond their limit and this was exposed by the media, including on television channels and social media, the Chief Minister said. Targeting Jayakumar for humiliating a DMK functionary, Stalin said the ruling party would face this matter legally and the opposition party would be exposed when this happens.
Hitting out at the AIADMK for 'excesses' during civic polls held in 2001 here, the Chief Minister said the DMK should pursue peaceful methods and continue to win people's confidence even if the former followed it now. Regarding the incident, former chief minister Palaniswami asked if it was a 'crime' to hand over a culprit to police.
Speaking to reporters in Salem, the AIADMK leader said instead of taking action against culprits, a case has been instead registered by police against Jayakumar and about 40 others who were with the former minister at the time. "This is the prize given by the Chief Minister," he said. After the DMK assumed office last year, the law and order situation has deteriorated completely and the Chief Minister himself 'supporting the culprits' is amusing, Palaniswami said. "The AIADMK is ready to face anything legally", he said.
'Oral instructions' have been given to officials to declare as 'defeated' the AIADMK nominees if they 'win' on February 22 when votes would be taken up for counting, Palaniswami alleged. This must be scuttled by complying with a ruling of the Madras High Court in this regard and postal votes should be counted first and then the EVMs and results should be declared promptly as per rules, the AIADMK Joint Coordinator said.
CM Stalin in his letter told cadres: "Though the March 4 election for the post of mayors and chairpersons of municipalities and town panchayats would be indirect, we have to be transparent". The Chief Minister expressed complete confidence that DMK would emerge victorious and local bodies too shall witness good governance.
.
Read all the Latest Politics News and Breaking News here
Comments
0 comment