Former minister and DMK candidate Senthil Balaji said he would never accept the practice of giving money for votes, adding that both offering and receiving cash are wrong.
Speaking to reporters in Coimbatore, Balaji said the DMK was campaigning with the aim of winning all 10 Assembly constituencies in the district and expressed confidence that voters would back the party. He said the focus was on conducting the election smoothly.
Balaji alleged that AIADMK workers were trying to provoke violence out of fear of defeat, and claimed the AIADMK candidate in Coimbatore South had already sensed a loss and was therefore making complaints. He said attempts to turn a peaceful region into a place of unrest would not succeed.
Rejecting allegations that DMK workers distributed money for votes, he said such claims must be proven and asked that any evidence be submitted as a petition to the district election officer. He also pointed out that the Election Commission controls the election machinery, with flying squads, CRPF and police deployed, and questioned how booth capturing could be possible under such arrangements.
He further criticised AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami, saying the opposition was speaking in frustration after sensing defeat.
