Holding democratic election more important than war, says Tamil Nadu Congress Committee chief

KANYAKUMARI: Conducting a

democratic election

is more important when compared to a war with China or Pakistan,

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee

(TNCC) chief

K S Alagiri

said and appealed to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to give an assurance to people to curtail distribution of cash for voters. “Only then democratic elections can be conducted. Else, it is a failure of the ECI and democracy,” he said.


Interacting with reporters in Nagercoil on Tuesday, he accused the

AIADMK-BJP combine

of stacking 50 crore for every constituency to be distributed to voters. “What will the opposition and smaller parties do?” he asked.

On Tuesday many banners were erected on the road welcoming Congress president Rahul Gandhi were removed by election officials, terming it as model code of conduct (MCC) violation. To this, he said the party had obtained permission from the district administration as well as the police. “It was before the MCC came into effect. Now, they have been removed as the MCC has been implemented,” he added.

He said the ECI should consider changing the election date on April 18 in Madurai and nearby districts as many would participate in the Chithirai festival. “Else people will not come to cast their votes. ECI is taking efforts to create awareness on voting and roping in film stars to campaign for this cause. They should consider postponing the elections considering Chithirai festival and Maundy Thursday,” he added.

On T T V Dhinakaran’s statement that a vacuum has been left behind by former chief ministers M Karunanidhi and J Jayalalithaa in the state, the TNCC chief said people who lived during the time of Alexander the great, Genghis Khan, Taimur, Napoleon, Mahatma and Nehru said the same when those leaders died. “But the society and world prevailed. There is no vacuum,” he said.

Responding to an allegation that DMK is willing to accept Tamil Manila Congress in their alliance but the TNCC is blocking the way, Alagiri said that TNCC and TMC are not different. “They (TMC) are our brothers. We will readily accept them any time,” he said.