TVK cannot claim to be a “pure force” after distributing money to voters, says CPI(M) leader

Accusing the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam of distributing money to voters in Tamil Nadu byelections, CPI(M) State secretary P. Shanmugham on Friday said after indulging in such acts of voter inducements, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay cannot claim that his party, the TVK, was a “pure force.”

Interacting with reporters in Puducherry after campaigning for CPI candidate A. M. Saleem in Thattanchavady constituency for the bypoll in Puducherry, he said the clean image projected by the TVK in Tamil Nadu was getting “destroyed” due to large scale distribution of money in Madurantakam and Dharapuram constituencies where campaigning for bypolls was in progress. 

The TVK, DMK and AIADMK are distributing cash to the voters, he claimed. 

“The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister was actively campaigning in both the constituencies as the situation was not favourable for the TVK in the bypolls. Unlike the Assembly elections, he was going street after street in Madurantakam seeking votes for party candidates in the bypolls,” he said. 

The CPI(M) leader flayed Puducherry Chief Minister N. Rangasamy for contesting two seats and then thrusting upon the people a bypoll. “This bypoll was thrust upon the people of Puducherry by Mr. Rangasamy because of his decision to contest two seats in the Assembly polls. He had to resign from Thattanchavady after winning Mangalam. He should stop contesting two seats in Assembly polls,” he said.