DMK exerting pressure on EC a joke, says Karunanidhi

Madurai, June 23 (UNI) Dismissing the charge that the DMK Government had exerted pressure on the Centre to force the Election Commission (EC) to hold back its reported decision to defer the June 26 bypoll to the Madurai West Assembly constituency, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today termed it a figment of imagination.

''The EC being an independent statutory body, politicians and all those having faith in democracy, function reposing confidence in its impartiality and integrity,'' he said in response to a query at an interaction with mediapersons here.

Mr Karunanidhi refuted the allegation of AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa that the DMK Government had blackmailed the Congress leadership, saying it does not hold any water.

To a question, he referred to the large scale transfer of officials right from the District Collector to constables effected by the EC ever since the announcement of the election schedule and pointed out that the Government had neither opposed nor complained about this. While the officials could not be blamed for the incidents, if any, the Government could not be held responsible for the conduct of officials. However, this was not an attempt to wash off hands, he clarified.

Expressing confidence about the Congress nominee fielded by the DMK-led DPA emerging victorious, Mr Karunanidhi said the prospects of the alliance were bright.

The DMK chief made light of the charges of large-scale cash distribution to voters and violence in the run-up to the bypoll, maintaining that these were common to all elections and not confined to this one. One or two incidents of violence were bound to be there in every election and the use of money power was a common one.

Playing down the significance of Chief Election Commissioner Gopalasamy's visit to the State, the Chief Minister quipped that it was news to him.

UNI