Jaya demands repoll in all 155 wards of Chennai Corporation

Chennai, Jan 17 (UNI) AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa tonight demanded a fresh poll in all the 155 wards of the Chennai Corporation.

Reacting to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's offer to hold repoll in 99 wards of the Corporation, in the wake of Madras High Court's split verdict on the issue, Ms Jayalalithaa said as the October election had witnessed large scale violence, the government should hold repoll in all the 155 wards.

She also demanded that the repoll should be held with security provided by the para-milirtary forces. The State Election Commission (SEC) and the City Police should not be involved in the conduct of repoll, she said.

Ms Jayalalithaa also said Mr Karunanidhi should step down as Chief Minister owning moral responsibility on this issue. By offering to hold fresh poll in 99 wards he has admitted the guilt that there were large scale violence in these wards, she noted.

She also wanted to know what action Mr Karunanidhi was contemplating to initiate against the State Election Commissioner and the City Police Commissioner for having given a wrong picture about the conduct of election in October last.

She said as the SEC was remaining silent on the question of the repoll after the HC split verdict where was the need for Mr Karunandhi to offer fresh elections. It was nothing but a diversionary tactic, she alleged.

UNI