CPI(M) condemns violence in local body polls

Chennai, Oct 15 (UNI) The Tamil Nadu unit of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) today strongly condemned the violent incidents and booth capturing, with the ''active connivance of police,'' in the elections to the Chennai Corporation, during the first phase of local body elections on October 13.

In a statement here, party state secretary N Varadarajan alleged that the people of the state were well aware of the violence, booth capturing and atrocities in the 2001 civic polls and subsequent by-elections to the Assembly constituencies in Saidapet, Kancheepuram and Gummidipoondi, by the then ruling AIADMK men.

To eradicate such dictatorial and anti-people attitude, the CPI-M and other parties forged alliance with DMK before the 2006 assembly elections and defeated the AIADMK, he said.

''It was shocking to note that the violence was repeated in the first phase, especially in Chennai city,'' he added.

Mr Varadarajan said the party had contested on its own in eight wards of the Chennai Corporation due to the ''unjustified approach'' of the DMK, alleging that hired goondas led by the DMK candidates and a few DMK MLAs had indulged in massive booth capturing and violence, besides attacking the CPI-M candidates and cadre and added that the victims were still in the hospital.

He said the police were mute specators to these undemoctratic acts and instead of taking action against the goondas and others, they filed false cases against the party cadres. It was highly condemnable, he added.

The Government should withdraw all the forged cases against the cadres and take suitable action against the culprits, he said.

He urged the State Election Commission to cancel the ''fraudulent'' October 13 elections and to hold fresh elections.

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