Withdrawal row: 3 AIADMK men arrested, SRK Appu seeks bail

The fight between Dravidian majors turned viscous in Vellore with three Katpadi union AIADMK functionaries being arrested and remanded to custody early on Sunday. AIADMK Vellore urban district secretary SRK Appu, who is also one of the accused, has sought anticipatory bail.

The arrested were Jaradanan, Katpadi union secretary, Amarnath, J Peravai Vellore district secretary and Anandan, former Katpadi union secretary. Rajasekar the party’s regional IT wing secretary is absconding.

Sources said that on September 23 when nominations were being withdrawn, AIADMK dummy candidate Revathi was asked to do so. However, the ARO (assistant returning officer) also got a signature from the party’s official candidate Ambiga (a Telugu woman who can talk but not write Tamil). When word spread, Appu rushed and remonstrated with the ARO, who accepted his mistake and handed over the official withdrawal form to Appu.

Later, the ARO rang up Appu and requested him to destroy the official form. Appu said he would give back the form and that the ARO could destroy it himself.

When DMK got wind of this, district secretary AP Nandakumar went to Katpadi union office and demanded that the withdrawal be accepted and when he came to know the truth, he asked the ARO to file an official complaint against Appu and the four functionaries who were with him. Asked for the reason for this issue, DMK sources unwilling to be named said, “word is out that the DMK should ensure unopposed victories in Katpadi areas specially so after party district secretary Duraimurugan won against AIADMK’s B Ramu by a mere 750 plus votes.

Similarly, in Tirupattur district, Madanancheri panchayat AIADMK secretary MR Nedunchezhian in Alangayam west panchayat union joined the DMK on Sunday. Peeved AIADMK functionaries said, “money and official power are being used to ensure a victory for the DMK.”