O Panneerselvam camp demands deployment of Central forces for RK Nagar

Chennai: The AIADMK faction led by former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam (Purachithalaivi Amma) had demanded the Election Commission to deploy Central military forces for the April 12 by-election to RK Nagar Assembly constituency to ensure free and fair poll.

A delegation of O. Panneerselvam camp submitted a petition to the EC in New Delhi on Tuesday, seeking the deployment of Central forces. “Based on the present situation in the constituency, we have requested the EC to deploy the central military forces in the RK Nagar constituency to avoid use of muscle or money power,” said V. Maitreyan, AIADMK Rajya Sabha MP, after the submitting the memorandum. He also alleged that Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palanisamy “flouted norms and supported T.T.V. Dhinakaran,” the candidate fielded by the Sasikala camp.

The team of party leaders led by Maithreyan met the Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi and other senior officials of EC and presented a set of demands. The team also included former state ministers: K.P. Munusamy and Natham R. Viswanathan and former MLA Manoj Pandian.

“In normal course, the EC deploys Central police force in any constituency two or three days before polling. But as the State machinery is fully involved in polling work, we wanted the EC to direct the deployment of CRPF in the constituency immediately,” Maitreyan said.

On March 23, the EC allotted the “hat” symbol to Sasikala camp while the O. Panneerselvam team got the “electric pole” symbol.