CPI(M) alleges booth capturing by DMK, PMK; demands repoll

Chennai, Oct 13 (UNI) Communist Party of India (Marxist), an ally of the DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA), today accused its senior partners-the DMK and the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) of indulging in violence and booth capturing in the city and demanded repoll in at least eight wards.

In a statement here, CPI(M) South Chennai District Secretary T Nandagopal said workers of DMK and PMK had committed atrocities in wards 130, 142 and 69, where the CPI(M) had fielded candidates against DMK and PMK nominees in the absence of an agreement.

After chasing away the party agents, the DMK and PMK men, led by party MP and former Union Minister A K Moorthy, cast votes by themselves and put them into the ballot boxes, he alleged. When the party workers staged a 'road roko' agitation protesting against this, the police arrested them, while letting off A K Moorthy and his supporters.

He said the police remained mute spectators to the violent incidents and demanded repoll in three wards. The party had already submitted a detailed petition to the State Election Commission and City Police Commissioner, he added.

In a petition to the Election Commissioner, North Chennai CPI(M) Secretary T K Shanmugam demanded repoll in five wards, alleging that DMK workers, armed with deadly weapons barged into the polling booths in wards 12, 35, 45, 59 and 103 and cast bogus votes.

They have hacked party candidate Devi and seven others, before snatching the ballot papers for casting votes, he alleged.

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