DMK diverts revenue of Tasmac outlets to win Feb 27 by-poll: Jayakumar

CHENNAI: Senior AIADMK leader and former minister D Jayakumar on Monday levelled serious charges against the ruling DMK party that the electorates were under captive and were taking them on jolly trips to influence the voters to exercise their franchises to their alliance party's candidate EVKS Elangovan.

"Apart from keeping the voters captive and taking them on jolly trips, the revenue of Tasmac outlets in Erode East Constituency has been diverted to the election works. There are around 32 to 35 outlets in the constituency. Instead of depositing the daily collection (sales amount) in the bank on daily basis, the amount has been diverted to the election workers through the conduits of Minister for Electricity, Prohibition and Excise V Senthilbalaji, who is the mastermind of such ill-conceived plans to defeat the AIADMK in the by-poll," Jayakumar told media persons at Secretariat after submitting petition to Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo in this regard.

He continued that the minister misused his position to fund the anti-democratic activities to win the February 27 by-poll. However, their plan would fall flat.

He also ridiculed the ministers who were campaigning in the Erode East by stating that it was "sad to see" persons who make tea, parotta, omelet and chapati have become ministers in the present DMK regime.

Rebutting deposed AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam's remark that they would retrieve the party by March this year, Jayakumar said it was not a player on the ground. He was "knocked out" of the game and said that OPS has been repeatedly hinting that he was moving close to the DMK party.

On MNM leader Kamal Haasan's charges that the former CM did not allow his movie Vishwaroopam, Jayakumar said the movie was created with an intention to defame people of a particular faith and make money. Hence, their leader took such a decision. He also wondered why the actor did not air his view then.