RK Nagar bypoll: CM K Palaniswami plays ruling party card to woo voters

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Monday appealed to voters of RK Nagar Assembly constituency here, going to bypoll on December 21, to elect the ruling AIADMK nominee, as he accused the DMK of having done nothing in the segment during its regime.

As the campaign for the December 21 bye-election to RK Nagar assembly constitunecy draws to a close tomorrow, Palaniswami and DMK working president M K Stalin made a whirlwind tour of the constituency here, canvassing votes for their respective party nominees.

In a poll-related action, the Election Commission transferred Joint Commissioner of Police (North) R Sudhakar, under whose jurisdiction RK Nagar falls. 

He was replaced with Joint Commissioner (Traffic, South) Prem Anand Sinha with immediate effect, an official release said without elaborating.

Hitting out at Stalin for "doing nothing" for RK Nagar during the DMK regime, Palaniswami wondered how the main opposition party would now be able to fulfill its promises.

"No amenities were brought to the constituency when Stalin was the city's Mayor or during his tenure as Deputy Chief Minister and Local Administration Minister...How the DMK can implement welfare schemes now?" he asked addressing a meeting.

Stating that AIADMK was the ruling party, the Palaniswami said if its candidate E Madusudanan was elected he will meet the Chief Minister, the deputy Chief Minister or the Ministers of the concerned departments and work to solve the problem.

However, the DMK will not be able to fulfill promises since it was the Opposition party, he said.

Only during AIADMK regime and after late Jayalalithaa won from the constituency, did welare measures were implemented and amenities were provided, he said.

Dismissing this, Stalin, however, said though it was in the opposition issues involving basic civic amentities have been taken care in constituencies represented by it across the state.

In his campaign today, he referred to local civic issues including erratic drinking water supply and assured that such matters will be addressed and urged the people to vote for his party candidate N Maruthu Ganesh.

Against the background of accusations and counter accusations of money distribution by parties, election authorities said a total of Rs 30,48,382 unaccounted cash had been seized till today from November 24 in the constituency.

As many as 75 flying squads, 21 static surveillance teams, 20 monitoring teams equipped with video recording devices were deployed in RK Nagar and 45 check posts were funcitonal across the Assembly segment's borders, authorities said.

A total of 120 FIRs had been registered for election related offences, while 15 persons have been remanded to judicial custody in this connection and 122 preventive arrests made.

A human chain was organised and a traditional folk dance was held by poll authorities to create awareness on 100 per cent voting.