Slamming the DMK president and Tamil Nadu chief minister for his repeated tirades against the Election Commission, the CPI(M) on Sunday said this amounted to "intimidation" of the constitutional body.
Slamming DMK president and chief minister M Karunanidhi for his repeated tirades against the Election Commission (EC), the CPI(M) on Sunday said this amounted to "intimidation" of the constitutional body.
"Once the election notification has been issued, the EC has got all powers to transfer officials to ensure free and fair polls," CPI (M) Tamil Nadu unit Secretary G Ramakrishnan told reporters here releasing his party's manifesto for the April 13 assembly elections.
Karunanidhi had recently flayed the EC for the pre-poll transfer of officials, including DGP Letika Saran and ADGP (Intelligence) M S Jaffer Sait, describing the action as 'unilateral' and also questioned the vehicle checks, which have yielded crores of unaccounted money.
He had charged the EC with transferring 'honest' police officials and district collectors just because of AIADMK's complaints.
Ramakrishnan, whose party is a constituent of AIADMK-led alliance, alleged that due to the fear of defeat, the ruling dispensation was trying to secure victory by distributing cash to voters.
He said the EC's strict enforcement of regulations was hindering the DMK's plans of distributing cash. Though his party wanted the EC to conduct vehicle checks as part of preventing the money-flow, it should not, however, affect the common people, he added.
"It is the duty of the Election Commission. And criticizing it for this (by Karunanidhi) amounts to intimidation," he said.
Ramakrishnan alleged that some DMK workers were recently caught distributing money at a private hospital in Kolathur, from where party's Treasurer and Karunanidhi's son M K Stalin is contesting the elections.
Evading direct answers on the slew of freebies assured by both DMK and AIADMK, he said his party's manifesto focused on solving people's issues.
He also criticised Karunanidhi for not focusing on issues like power cut, price rise and corruption during his three public meetings held last week as part of his campaign.
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