Edappadi K Palaniswami: DMK strangulated democracy in Erode East

ERODE: The ruling DMK has won the Erode East byelection by creating a new 'Erode formula' after strangulating democracy, alleged AIADMK interim general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami.
In a statement issued on Thursday after the results of the Erode East byelection were out, EPS said people had witnessed the arrogance of the DMK government in this byelection.
Akin to the 'Thirumangalam formula', the DMK has created a new formula by herding people in temporary shelters."They later took the voters on 'jolly tours' when I warned that I would meet them at their shelters if they were not released," he recalled. The DMK distributed cookers, silver anklets, gold coins, silver pots, liquor and meat to the voters along with cash, he charged.
"Those who refused to accept the gifts them were threatened by the ruling party functionaries," he alleged, adding that they were also threatened that their old-age pension and government benefits would not be provided to them.
In some places, the DMK functionaries threatened the voters by making them vow on the lemons in temples. "There was no action taken against these functionaries even after petitioning with the election commission," he said. Palaniswami said AIADMK would have won in this byelection if it was conducted democratically. On the day of polling, functionaries of DMK and its alliance parties had cast 'bogus' votes in the last one-hour of voting, he said.