With the AIADMK (Amma) faction coming all out, terming the BJP “a communal party trying to make a backdoor entry into Tamil Nadu”, the politics in Tamil Nadu took a curious turn. The BJP retorted to the charges levelled by the official faction of the AIADMK by demanding the postponement of the RK Nagar by-election scheduled for April 12. Interestingly, the DMK declared that it does not like the idea of postponing the election.
Namathu MGR, the mouthpiece of the AIADMK (Amma), in its editorial on Friday evening blasted the Centre as well as the BJP leadership for the Income Tax raids held in the residences and business premises of C Vijayabhaskar, the Health Minister in the Edappady Palanswamy-led Tamil Nadu Government. The raid which began on early Friday morning, got over by Saturday noon. The residences of film actor Sarat Kumar, vice-chancellor of the MGR Medical University Dr Geetha lakshmi, C Rajendran, MP belonging to the AIADMK (Amma) faction and a few business associates of Vijayabhaskar were raided by the sleuths of the Income Tax Department.
Though there was no official word about the seizure made by the I-T investigators, it has been reported that they would hand over the materials to the Election Commission of India on Saturday amidst growing demands from various political parties for the postponement of the bypoll. Some of the leading local dailies and TV channels reported that the I-T department has seized documents and records which prove that more than Rs 89 crore have been distributed in RK Nagar constituency. Though they are silent about the source of the news, the data has been released by I-T officials only
In a scathing attack on the BJP, the Namathu MGR editorial alleged that the saffron party was trying to destroy the Dravidian movement in Tamil Nadu. “The conspiracy and designs of the BJP will not make any impact on the people of Tamil Nadu who are always against communalism,” said the paper. The article was eloquent on the theory of Aryan-Dravidian division and alleged that the BJP was treating Tamil Nadu worse that it deals with Pakistan.
TTV Dinakaran, the AIADMK (Amma) deputy general secretary, who is the candidate from RK Nagar termed Friday’s raids as a conspiracy by the enemies of the party to stall his victory. “Couldn’t they have waited till the polling was over,” asked Dhinakaran while interacting with the fishermen community in the constituency on Saturday.
Taken aback by the attacks unleashed by the AIADMK (Amma) faction, Tamilissai Sounderarajan, chef of Tamil Nadu BJP demanded that the April 12 bypoll be postponed. “There is unprecedented flow of money in this election to purchase votes,” Sounderarajan told a TV news channel even as the BJP candidate Gangai Amaran was campaigning in the by lanes of the RK Nagar in an auto-rickshaw in spite of the scorching sun and summer.
TKS Elangovan, senior spokesperson of the DMK said that his party does not subscribe to the postponement of the election. “The Election Commission has transferred all controversial officials. The constituency has been posted with more observers,” said Elangovan.
KT Raghavan, BJP spokesman lambasted the AIADMK (Amma) faction for massive distribution of money all over the RK Nagar constituency for bulk purchasing of votes. “I have seen with my own eyer how the AIADMK (Amma) leaders distribute cash and gifts as part of bribing the voters. There is nothing surprising in the income tax raids,” he said.