DMK has won the Vikravandi by-poll through money power, says PMK

CHENNAI: PMK founder S Ramadoss and president Anbumani Ramadoss alleged that DMK won the Vikravandi by-poll by spending Rs 250 crore as against Rs 40 lakh of the permitted expenditure limit.

They also claimed that the PMK candidate was the true victor in the election as he secured more than 56,000 votes in an ‘honest’ way.

Speaking to reporters in Chennai, on Saturday, Anbumani alleged that DMK distributed cash and gift items to the voters.

“They gave Rs 6,000 cash and Rs 4,000 worth of gifts including jewels. Cash was distributed in three installments. Everyone knew about the violations but the election commission claims that it does not know. The chief election officer should resign his post,” he said.

He added that DMK put up 300 sheds (panthal) across the constituency. “For the violations, the DMK candidate should have been disqualified. Villupuram district is the last in per capita income among all the districts. They will receive money as Rs 10,000 is huge for them. They will vote for cash due to their economic condition,” he said.

Claiming that the result of the by-poll will not affect the party in the upcoming general election for State Assembly, Anbumani said that by-polls and general elections differ from each other and the winning factors are also different.

“If the Vikravandi election was conducted fairly, DMK would have lost its deposit,” he said. In a separate statement, Ramadoss said that DMK provided liquor and biryani to the voters.

“DMK’s victory is only for rice bags, tokens, dhotis and sarees, gold jewels, and alcohol,” he opined.