AIADMK to boycott Cooperative elections

Chennai, July 3 (UNI) AIADMK Supermo J Jayalilathaa today reiterated that her party would boycott the coming Cooperative elections as the ruling DMK was indulging in ''unfair practices''.

Elections to Cooperative societies in the State were to be conducted in five phases, as announced by the Cooperation Minister E V Velu in the last assembly session. The process had begun on June eight.

Ms Jayalalitha had announced her party's decision not to take part in the election.

She alleged that during its tenure from 1996 to 2001 the then DMK government held the cooperative elections societies after expelling all the AIADMK members.

She also charged that the then DMK government committed many irregularities in the Cooperative Societies.

She, however, said out that when the AIADMK regained power in 2001, it appointed qualified members by issuing a GO and announced that it would hold elections in a free and fair manner.

She said the DMK, however, moved the court against the GO and the case was pending in the Supreme Court.

But, when the DMK came back to power in 2006, the government changed its stance and withdrew its petition from the Apex Court, she said adding ''this is illogical.

Ms Jayalalithaa also alleged that the DMK government sent out all the AIADMK members by violating the norms and regulations.

Hence, the AIADMK had decided to boycott the elections, she added.

UNI