Chennai: Calling upon the Election Commission to take stringent and deterrent steps against those involved in money distribution in the RK Nagar constituency, Union Minister of State for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping, Pon Radhakrishnan suggested debarring the candidate from contesting elections for life if he or his party was found bribing voters.
The minister, who contended that postponement of an election is not a remedy to tackle the growing menace of cash for votes, said the Election Commission should come out with deterrent action to prevent the bribing of voters by political parties.
"My suggestion is the Election Commission must ban the political parties from contesting this election and the candidate for whom the money was distributed should be debarred from contesting polls for life," Mr Radhakrishnan emphasised on Sunday.
The minister has been campaigning in the RK Nagar constituency in support of his party candidate - music director Gangai Amaran. Accusing both AIADMK Amma faction and opposition DMK of distributing money to the voters, Mr. Radhakrishnan said this did not augur well for democracy. "People are prepared to receive money in return for their votes and the political parties try to capitalise on their plight. This is a shame for the Tamil community and the State," he said calling for prompt action by the Election Commission in this regard.
It may be recalled that Mr. Radhakrishnan had recently remarked that the incidents of giving cash for votes have not declined despite of the presence of flying squads and election observers. Besides him, state BJP president Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan and other BJP leaders have been raising the issue of large-scale distribution of money to voters in the R. K. Nagar constituency.
Meanwhile, former Union Minister and NTR's daughter D. Purandeswari garnered votes for Mr. Amaran at Kurukkupet Meenambal Nagar and Bharathi Nagar while campaigning in an open van.
