Union govt wants to hold simultaneous polls for civic bodies: Duraimurugan

CHENNAI: Leader of House Duraimurugan on Wednesday told the State Assembly that the BJP led union government was for holding elections for civic bodies along with the Parliamentary polls.

Belying the claim of BJP legislator Vanathi Srinivasan in the House that holding civic polls simultaneously was not in the terms of reference of the high-level committee constituted by the union government for the 'one nation, one election' policy, Duraimurugan said that the high-level committee has written to the State Election Commissioner, as the authority holding civic elections in the state, to offer his "valuable insights" on holding elections to civic bodies along with the Parliamentary and Assembly polls.

Describing the resolution successfully moved by the CM as a 'precaution' when the democracy was being strangled in the form of 'one nation, one election', Duraimurugan who is also the general secretary of the DMK, said in the floor of the House that the resolution was to project the rights of the state and safeguard the democracy. Endorsing the opinion of AIADMK legislator Thalavai Sundaram who called for suggesting views to the committee, Duraimurugan said that "I accept it. Views can be expressed. But that would hold good only for good people. Not for people who seek to introduce Uniform Civil Code or impose one religion, one god and one election. They will not pay heed. It will not work out with them."

In his veiled critique of the ruling BJP, the DMK general secretary said that at a time when monarchies are turning to democracy, they (BJP) are trying to take us back to monarchy.