Actor Vishal out of RK Nagar bypoll fray
Vishal, whose nomination papers were rejected on Tuesday night, tweeted on Thursday morning.
Chennai: Actor Vishal's last-ditch efforts to enter the high-stakes electoral contest in R K Nagar fell flat on Thursday after he failed to "locate" the two proposers, who had alleged that their signatures were forged, and produce them before the returning officer K. Velusamy.
Vishal, whose nomination papers were rejected on Tuesday night, tweeted on Thursday morning citing "media reports" that the Election Commission has asked him to approach the returning officer and produce the two people if his nomination has to be accepted, in reply to a complaint sent by him.
Rushing from his Anna Nagar residence to R K Nagar, Vishal claimed he was unable to locate Sumathy and Deepan, who had reportedly told Velusamy that their signatures on the nomination papers of Vishal were forged, and alleged that they were "missing." "Everyone knows who is behind this…. As time passes by, Dheepan and Sumathi, who proposed my nomination, are not traceable. I'm very much worried about their safety & security.... Whether I Win or Lose, Democracy truly Lost!!" he tweeted.
Later, he held discussions with Velusamy at his office in Tondiarpet during which the returning officer is understood to have told him that the duo will have to be produced if his nomination papers will have to be accepted. After heated arguments and storming out of his office, Vishal alleged that the RO told him that he "accepted my nomination only because I threatened."
"Do I look like a person who threatens an officer? Do I look like that? I have been prevented from doing well to R K Nagar people by contesting elections. But, I will ensure that my good work continues for these people without even contesting elections," Vishal told reporters. "Twist of Tale.... Now, Returning Officer claims that we threatened him to accept my nomination the other day… What more is to Come?" he later tweeted. As he failed to produce the duo by 3 pm on the last day of withdrawal of nominations, Vishal's hopes to make a dramatic entry into the fray fell flat.