TN Bypoll: BJP Leader's campaign disrupted; vehicle damaged

Madurai, June 20 (UNI) BJP State General Secretary H Raja and party senior leader Pon Radhakrishnan, canvassing for the party nominee in the byelection for the Madurai West Assembly constituency, escaped unhurt when a group of DMK supporters attacked their vehicle with wooden logs after disrupting their campaign today.

The windshield of the car was damaged in the incident, this morning.

The DMK workers prevented them from continuing their speech at a street corner meeting when they were raising the attack on Tamil daily Dinakaran, in which three employees of the newspaper were killed, the two leaders said in a complaint lodged with the Election Observer. Later, the DMK men, armed with wooden logs, attacked the vehicle in which they were proceeding.

Talking to mediapersons after meeting the Election Observer, Mr Radhakrishnan, a former Union Minister and Mr Raja accused the ruling DMK of unleashing violence on opposition parties.

In their opinion, the atmosphere was not conducive for holding a free and fair poll. Money and muscle power besides intimidation of voters and workers of opposition parties had vitiated the atmosphere, they added.

UNI