Alleging distribution of money among voters, a regional political party in Tamil Nadu has urged the Election Commission to cancel the February 27 by-election to Erode assembly constituency, according to people aware of the matter.
Accusing the DMK and AIADMK of “bribing voters”, actor-turned-politician Vijayakanth’s Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) has urged the poll body to call off the polls, the people said.
This came even as the DMK and AIADMK accused one another of indulging in malpractices.
A DMK functionary alleged that AIADMK was “distributing cash to lure voters”.
The opposition party, on the other hand, accused the DMK of erecting temporary shelters and locking up voters. “Today, the DMK-Congress alliance is frightened. That’s why they are taking voters and locking them up,” AIADMK interim general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said.
DMK leader and sports minister Udhayanidhi Stalin dismissed the allegation as “baseless”.
Few instances of violence have also been reported in the run up to the polls.
On Wednesday, 12 people – six each from DMK and Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) – were injured in an incident of stone pelting. Cases were registered against leaders of the two parties, police said.
As of Tuesday, poll officials have received 455 complaints, according to the people cited above.
HT reached out to a poll official for a comment on the matter but did not get one immediately.
