Annamalai attacks DMK over alleged distribution of pressure cookers ahead of Erode bypolls

Erode (Tamil Nadu) [India], February 21 (ANI): Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief K Annamalai on Monday attacked DMK and Congress over the alleged distribution of pressure cookers for attracting voters.
The BJP state chief was campaigning for AIADMK candidate KS Thennarasu in Erode-East Assembly seat ahead of bypolls.
Addressing the campaign, Annamalai said, "DMK didn't fulfil their election promises. Instead, what you get is a useless pressure cooker which will burst."
He said that BJP has reached out to the Election Commission regarding the districution of "freebies".
"The distribution of free pressure cookers, and silk sarees is happening right under the watch of State Election Commission observers. BJP has taken this up with ECI. AIADMK has gone to court on this issue. DMK thinks it can win by distributing freebies," he said.
Annamalai further said that they are confident that the NDA candidate KS Thennarasu will be winning by a huge margin.
"The vote is going to be against the DMK govt as it has failed in all its responsibilities including law and order. We're confident that NDA candidate KS Thennarasu will win with a huge margin. DMK can't take the people of the state for granted," he added.
The matter pertains to a video shared by AIADMK Spokesperson and IT Wing Zonal Secretary Kovai Sathyan, in which a woman can be seen with the pressure cooker, which was allegedly given to her for casting her vote on the 'Hand' symbol (Congress).
In the video, the woman could be asked which symbol, has she been asked to vote. To this, she replied "Hand". She also says that the pressure cookers are being distributed on "per vote" basis.
In January, the by-election was announced for the Erode East constituency in Tamil Nadu on February 27. The counting of votes will be done on March 2.
The bypoll was necessitated due to the death of the Congress MLA Thirumagan, the great-grandson of social reformer 'Periyar' E V Ramasamy and son of former Union minister E V K S Elangovan.
BJP has officially announced its support to the candidate of the Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) faction of the AIADMK in the upcoming Erode East bypoll.
EPS faction of the AIADMK has fielded KS Thennarasu as its candidate for the seat.
BJP state president K Annamalai issued a letter of support for the candidature of KS Thennarasu.
This followed the withdrawal of the candidature of the O Panneerselvam (OPS) candidate T Senthilmurugan.
The Congress has declared former Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) chief EVKS Elangovan as the party's candidate for the February 27 bypolls to the Erode (East) assembly constituency. (ANI)