Chennai: Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) founder T T V Dhinakaran has said the reason given by the Election Commission of India not to hold by-elections in Tamilnadu as ‘strange’.
Speaking to reporters at the airport today, Dhinakaran wondered if the Meteorological Department was also playing “politics” as the by-polls were not scheduled due to its report of intense rainfall in Tamilnadu this monsoon.
On Saturday, the Election Commission announced the poll schedule for five states: Mizoram, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana. Though it was expected that it would also announce the by-poll schedule for Tamilnadu, there was only an announcement stating that owing to adverse weather conditions, there would be no by-election for now.
The Tiruparankundram seat fell vacant after sitting MLA A K Bose died and the Tiruvarur seat, after DMK president and MLA M Karunanidhi passed away.
Citing a letter from Tamilnadu Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan, the EC said Saturday it was not holding by-election to these two constituencies due to the intense rainfall forecast. It also pointed out that a case was pending in court against Bose’s election to the Tiruparankundram constituency, with his nomination paper itself being challenged by the DMK candidate.
Dhinakaran pointed out today that election to Tiruparankundram has been conducted even amidst rain.