Coimbatore South has 18 independent candidates from Senthil Balaji’s turf Karur

COIMBATORE: The returning officer accepted DMK candidate V Senthil Balaji’s nomination in Coimbatore South constituency despite objections raised by rival candidates.AIADMK candidate Amman K Arjunan raised objections about the signature on Senthil Balaji’s affidavit. He said the Karur-based notary’s signature on Senthil Balaji's affidavit dated April 4. But Senthil Balaji was campaigning in Coimbatore on that day. As per rule, a notary should verify the documents in the presence of the candidate, Arjunan claimed. Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) candidate V Perarivalan raised suspicion about 18 people from Karur district filing papers in Coimbatore South as independent candidates. Perarivalan said, "Isn't it suspicious that so many Karur residents are contesting only in Coimbatore South and not elsewhere? Why not in Kavundampalayam or Thondamuthur? Each of these candidates is allowed to deploy at least two people at a polling booth. Imagine 18 people deploying two each, and all of them working for Senthil Balaji. It makes his work much easier to manipulate votes."AIADMK members alleged that when each of these candidates was allowed Rs 40 lakh in expenditure before the election, and all 18 of them are working for DMK, the cash distribution or distribution of gifts would become much easier.According to official sources, the nominations of all 18 Karur candidates have been accepted. "Any individual can contest anywhere. Just because all of them are from one particular location, it cannot be rejected. Also, all their affidavits were clean and clear, so they were accepted. Moreover, any valid objection will definitely be accepted, but so there weren't any."As of Monday, 61 nominations have been filed in the Coimbatore South constituency, with more than 22 independent candidates.