DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin on Monday alleged that the “hurried manner” in which the State Election Commission had announced elections to the local bodies was indicative of it favouring the ruling party.
Talking to reporters at his Kolathur constituency, Mr. Stalin said the poll schedule was announced at 6.30 p.m. on Sunday and the filing of nomination began on Monday.
“The State Election Commission wants to conduct the election in favour of the ruling AIADMK. But, the DMK is prepared to face any challenge,” he said.
The DMK had been consulting its alliance partners at the district level and they had prepared themselves for the civic polls.
To a question whether the DMK had any plans to obtain a stay against the elections from the court, Mr. Stalin said the party had approached the court earlier only for ensuring free and fair elections to the local bodies. “We filed a petition in the Madras High Court this morning,” he said, adding that the list of DMK candidates to be fielded would be released soon.
On the demand of the father of Ramkumar, accused in S. Swathi murder case, that a doctor from a private hospital be included in the post-mortem team, Mr. Stalin said DMK leader M. Karunanidhi had already made a strong case for an inquiry into accused’s death by a sitting judge of the Madras High Court.
