Date:02/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/02/stories/2009010254940600.htm

Tamil Nadu

Vaiko not for postponing Thirumangalam by-poll

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: MDMK general secretary Vaiko said he was not for postponing the by-election to Thirumangalam Assembly constituency though the “ruling party was misusing power and spending crores of rupees to buy votes.”

“The people in the constituency want to defeat the ruling party. The Election Commission should take intensive measures to ensure free and fair elections. It should deploy paramilitary forces and additional observers,” Mr. Vaiko told reporters on Thursday.

He said he had already travelled across 83 villages in the constituency and will tour 90 more and campaign for the AIADMK candidate, Muthuramalingam. “I have been doing election campaigning since 1967. But I have never witnessed such large-scale violations by the ruling party and misuse of power", he said.

Reacting to Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi’s appeal to his partymen that they should not retaliate even if they faced attacks, Mr. Vaiko said it was a joke.

“Since PMK leader S. Ramadoss has not announced his stand on alliance in Tamil Nadu, the DMK is not sure of victory in the constituency,” he said. Mr Vaiko said the Left parties and their regional electoral allies would play an important role in the national politics after the Lok Sabha elections.