AIADMK members observe fast against delimitation

Pudukottai, Aug 20: Members of the AIADMK Pudukottai district unit today observed a token fast here, condemning the Election Commission (EC) doing away with the Pudukottai Lok Sabha constituency in the recent delimitation drill.

The agitation was led by senior party leader and party Election Wing Secretary O Panneerselvam.

Meanwhile, former Union Minister S Thirunavukkarasar termed the EC's decision as against ''dharma''.

Taking a dig at the sitting MP and Union Minister S Reghupathy, the BJP leader, who represented the constituency earlier, said that if he had been the Pudukottai MP now, he would have immediately resigned to show his protest. When the EC attempted to do away with Mayiladuthurai seat, the move was stalled by its MP and Union Panchayati Raj Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar, he recalled.

The BJP Pudukottai district unit would organise public meetings in all the Assembly constituencies in the district, he said.

In a statement here, Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) State Deputy General Secretary K P Krishnan charged both the ruling DMK and Opposition AIADMK with enacting a drama to divert the attention of the people. The party would stage a slogan-shouting demonstration here on August 22, he added.

UNI