TTV Dinakaran alleges EC of not wanting him to win

Hours after the Election Commission of India (ECI) cancelled the by-polls in R.K. Nagar, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) general secretary T.T.V. Dinakaran on Monday claimed that the commission did not want him to win.

"I will contest in R.K. Nagar whenever polls take place. How can they disqualify me without evidence? These documents are all fake. They're forged. The ECI and the Centre are responsible. These were unnecessary raids during poll. They don't want me to win or the polls to be conducted," Dinakaran said.

Dinakaran further clarified stated that all AIADMK ministers were targetted and nobody had paid money even without his knowledge.

"Health Minister of TN Vijaya Baskar met me yesterday. Nothing has been found at his residence. Let them have the CBI, Interpol investigation. We have nothing to hide. All AIADMK ministers are targetted. Nobody has paid money even without my knowledge. These documents are all forged. I deny all these allegations of cash distribution. Whatever comes, we will face it," Dinakaran said.

The I-T officials had alleged that the Sasikala faction of the party paid Rs. 89 crore to voters to buy support for its candidate Dinakaran, who is also Sasikala's nephew.

Meanwhile, the OPS faction of the party has welcomed the EC's decision. Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Tamilisai Soundararajan also supported the commission's verdict and said the state needs corruption-free politics.