EPS becoming PM is a “big joke”: RS Bharathi

CHENNAI: DMK organizing secretary R S Bharathi on Wednesday called as "big joke" the idea of the AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami becoming Prime Minister after the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

Talking to the media after attending a meeting organized by the Chief Electoral Officer at the secretariat, Bharathi said, "It is a big joke." He was responding to a query on former AIADMK minister Rajendra Balaji claiming at a rally on Tuesday that the AIADMK would win all 40 seats in the 2024 Parliamentary election, and if opportunity presents, Edappadi K Palaniswami could become the Prime Minister.

Asked about the suggestions made by the DMK in the meeting with the CEO, the DMK organizing secretary said that they had reiterated the need to purify the voters list.

Now, a change has been introduced. They (Election Commission) send a registered post to the voters before deleting them from the voters list, which is welcome, he added.

Bharathi also said that they have urged the commission to ensure the provision of amenities to the staff on election duty, mainly the women on election duty who report to the booth the previous evening and stay put there at least till 7pm the next day (day of election).

Due to non-availability of amenities, mainly toilets at the booth, the staff on election duty use the toilets in nearby houses. Under such circumstances, the party men objected to them using the facilities in someone's house.

To avoid such confrontation, the commission must consider providing e-toilets to them, he added.