BJP-DMK Workers Clash In Coimbatore Over Annamalai's Late Night Campaign; 7 Injured

An FIR has been lodged against BJP state president K Annamalai and party workers for violating the Model of Conduct. They allegedly campaigned after 10 pm in Coimbatore on Thursday, Times Now reported.

Clashes broke out between the DMK and BJP workers last night, allegedly over Annamalai's campaign, according to a report in PTI. Seven people have been injured in the incident.

Following a complaint lodged by a DMK member, Peelamedu police booked cases against four BJP functionaries under various sections of the IPC.

Speaking to ANI, DMK candidate from Coimbatore Lok Sabha constituency, Ganapathy Rajkumar said "... BJP candidate K Annamalai was campaigning till 10:45 PM, that is beyond the permitted time of 10:00 PM but when opposed and stopped, they indulge in riots. They started attacking other party cadets and the public and some people were wounded, so it was taken to the Election Commission."

He alleged that people from other states have come to Coimbatore to campaign for the BJP.

The DMK leader added, "People from other states have come here and in the name of campaigning and giving notice going door-to-door, studying the area, we have other doubts that they may indulge in violence or arson because they have started tasting defeat. People have started asking us, why so many people from other states are coming to the peaceful colonies, people are very suspicious now..."

Rajkumar said that K Annamalai doesn't know the pulse of the people and he is "an alien" to this city and "his tactics will not work out" in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Coimbatore is one of the closely watched seats with the BJP fielding its state president. The ruling DMK, having taken the seat back from CPIM, has nominated Ganapathy Rajkumar, a former Coimbatore mayor who joined the party in 2020 after departing from AIADMK.

The AIADMK has fielded Singai Ramachandran, the party's former Secretary of the IT Wing.