Southern States
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Tamil Nadu
Circuit house issue: DMK writes to Governor, EC
By Our Special Correspondent
CHENNAI, FEB. 10. The cancellation of rooms booked for the DMK president, M. Karunanidhi, at the circuit house in Kodaganar near Dindigul is threatening to snowball into a major issue, with the DMK writing to the Governor and the Election Commission.
``This is not merely an issue of lodging but a question of rights,'' Mr. Karunanidhi told presspersons here today.
Stressing the security angle, he said though the circuit house did not fall within the constituency, it was chosen to minimise security risks. Also, the black cats too needed lodging facilities.
Terming the cancellation a violation of election code, he said despite impediments, he would go ahead with his campaign on February 16 at Andipatti.
Disputing the contention that the DMK local town secretary, M. Basheer Ahamed, had written to the circuit house authorities cancelling the booking, Mr. Karunanidhi said no such letter had been written. ``This is a clear case to show who is violating the election code''. The DMK legal wing would examine the possibility of approaching courts.
Releasing copies of a communication from the executive engineer to Mr. Ahamed, the DMK chief said local partymen felt that the cancellation had more to do with political animosity. Mr. Ahamed had written to Mr. Karunanidhi terming as a ``lie'' the claim that he had written to the executive engineer. He was deeply pained at the development.
On the allegations of electoral malpractices on the part of the DMK, Mr. Karunanidhi said his party had already met observers in Andipatti to explain each instance. It had not done anything in violation of the model code.
Reacting to the Home Secretary's statement that the Government was apprehensive of some groups disrupting the byelection, he said his party also feared it and hence demanded deployment of CRPF personnel for the election. The DMK candidate had submitted a written request.
Though the party felt that the byelection was heavily biased towards ``one section,'' it would put up a courageous fight. ``We are ready to face anything,'' he said.
On the reports that all unsold stocks in weaver cooperatives were bought by the Government in one day, Mr. Karunanidhi said if this was true, then it was a case of violation of election code.
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