Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and her predecessor M Karunanidhi were among those who filed their nominations yesterday for next month’s assembly elections in the state.
Jayalalithaa, chief of the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party, filed her papers from Radhakrishnan Nagar constituency here.
She was given a rousing reception by party activists, who lined up both sides of the road, as she reached the venue.
Jayalalithaa won a by-election last year after the Karnataka High Court acquitted her in a corruption case.
Her rival and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader Karunanidhi filed his nomination from Tiruvarur constituency, around 350km from the state capital Chennai.
He will be contesting for the 13th time and for a second time from his native place.
Another chief ministerial candidate, Anbumani Ramadoss of the Pattali Makkal Katchi, filed his papers from Pennagaram constituency in Dharmapuri district.
Meanwhile, in a surprise turn of events, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) leader Vaiko announced he won’t contest the assembly elections after charging the DMK with vitiating the atmosphere by trying to create caste conflict.
Earlier he had planned to contest from Kovilpatti constituency.
In New Delhi, the Election Commission said around Rs470mn in unaccounted money has been seized in Tamil Nadu since the announcement of elections in March.
The state goes to polls on May 16.
A whopping Rs110.32mn was seized on Saturday alone, the day notification was issued for elections to the assembly.
The authorities suspect that a major part of the money is linked with ‘hawala’ (illegal) operations and was most likely meant to be used for the assembly polls.
“With a view to curbing the use of black money and the likely inducement of voters in the assembly election, comprehensive instructions have been issued to the local administration, which include the formation of flying squads, static surveillance teams, video surveillance teams, etc.,” the EC said in a statement.
Police and other agencies such as the Income Tax department, customs and state excise department have been asked to monitor the production, distribution, sale and storage of liquor and other intoxicants during the election process, the EC said.
Over 700 flying squads and 712 static surveillance teams have been deployed in the state to check unethical and illegal practices during the elections.
“Complaints relating to transportation of illegal cash, liquor and narcotics are being monitored round the clock,” the EC added.
The election watchdog said that teams of special observers have been deployed in the state to review the poll preparedness. Also, the number of observers has been increased manifold.
In other election related developments, over 67% of the more than 10mn voters exercised their right to franchise across 49 constituencies bordering Kolkata in the fourth phase of voting in West Bengal.
Polling took place in the two districts of Howrah and North 24 Parganas.
While the EC said the polls were peaceful, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress alleged rigging in some booths.
The BJP’s Roopa Ganguly, contesting from Howrah North, alleged “rampant” booth capturing and bogus voting and faced angry protests from alleged Trinamool Congress activists.
“Since morning, I have been getting complaints about intimidation of our voters and assault on our polling agents who have been driven out of polling booths. There has been rampant booth-capturing and bogus voting by the Trinamool,” said Ganguly, who was heckled allegedly by Trinamool activists outside a booth.
Her Trinamool rival, retired international cricketer Laxmi Ratan Shukla, denied the charge.
Accusing her of influencing voters and disrupting the poll process, Shukla said a complaint has been filed against her with the EC after the actress-turned-politician “forcibly entered the booth and clicked pictures with her mobile camera.”
The poll panel has sought a report from Howrah district officials on Ganguly’s movements.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Tanmoy Bhattacharya (North Dum Dum) sustained injuries when alleged Trinamool activists threw stones at his car.