RK Nagar by-polls cancelled: EC decision 'undemocratic', says livid Dinakaran

Fuming over the cancellation of the R. K. Nagar by-polls following allegations of rampant corruption and bribery, the Sasikala camp termed the Election's Commission decision as 'undemocratic'.

'It is a wrong decision by the Election Commission. I don't know the reason (why they are doing this) maybe even the EC does not want me to win so they are trying to postpone the polls. It is undemocratic,' All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leader TTV Dinakaran told ANI.

By-elections in Chennai's RK Nagar constituency, the constituency of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa, have been canceled by the Election Commission after cash-for-votes allegations surfaced. The decision came after Income Tax raids in Chennai found money was distributed to voters.

The Income Tax officials had alleged that the VK Sasikala faction of the party paid Rs. 89 crores to voters to buy support for its candidate TTV Dinakaran, who is also her nephew. As evidence, the department had cited documents seized during raids on Friday in more than 35 places - including properties of the state health minister C Vijayabaskar.

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.

Stakes for the by-polls were very high as the results would have been a verdict of sorts in the war between the two rival factions of the ruling AIADMK.

Meanwhile, following the cancellation of by-polls in R.K. Nagar, the Congress on Monday took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the demonetization drive. 'We were told demonetization has put an end to black money. Was money distributed in R K NAGAR white money?' Congress leader P. Chidambaram tweeted.

-ANI