It's for the Govt. to see the writing on the wall: DMK

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, OCT. 24. It is upto the AIADMK Government to treat the verdict in the local bodies as a ``warning'' from the people, the DMK president, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, said today.

The ``legal and just'' steps initiated by the DMK on the second night of counting of votes in Chennai and the appropriate action taken by people who had the authority to do so ensured that there was no largescale ``change'' in electoral verdicts, he charged.

Explaining the sequence of events, Mr. Karunanidhi said that in ward 141, though there were only 32,000 votes, the number was entered as 62,000 votes. It was also shown that the DMK candidate, Mr. M.K. Stalin, had secured only about 6,000 votes. Thanks to the alert DMK counting agents, the foul play was detected. Mr. Karunanidhi alleged that the election officials were getting ready to announce that the AIADMK candidate had won.

Answering a question, he said he did not think that the present Government would initiate action against the erring officials. It would instead promote such officials to hold higher responsibilities. For, ``this is the State which let a person who has been convicted rule''.

Asked whether the Governor, Dr. C. Rangarajan, had assured the DMK that he would take action, Mr. Karunanidhi said his party had explained to him the ``prevailing situation''. When the Governor made enquiries, he was able to grasp the truth.

The DMK was ``discussing'' the possibility of approaching court for redress. It would not take recourse to agitations immediately, but would instead decide on the course of action after discussions.

The DMK believed that the ``atrocities'' by the ruling party would continue. Even in the past six months after the AIADMK came to power, though the DMK had a majority in the councils, the ruling partymen had created a lot of trouble. But now, if one party creates trouble in one place, the ``echo'' will be felt elsewhere, he warned.

Hence, it was better for all to concentrate on improving the living standards of the people than discussing whether they should instal a portrait of Ms. Jayalalithaa or Mr. Karunanidhi, the DMK chief said.

In the DMK, he and the general secretary, Mr. K. Anbazhagan, were discussing changes in the party set-up at the ``administrative, organisational and functional levels''. Fresh membership recruitment would commence soon and elaborate rules to induct new members would be drawn up. After that, elections would be held to elect functionaries to head party organisations.

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Section  : Southern States
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