RK Nagar poll win was ‘purchased’: Haasan

chennai — Actor Kamal Haasan on Thursday alleged that money power was behind TTV Dhinakaran’s win in the December 21 RK Nagar bypoll, drawing sharp rebuke from the sidelined AIADMK leader who accused the star of maligning voters.

In a stinging article as part of his weekly series in the latest issue of Tamil magazine Ananda Vikatan, the veteran star described the bypoll, held due to the demise of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, as a “stain” on Indian democracy.

Responding to Haasan’s salvo, Dhinakaran hit back saying the actor was making such allegations as he could not digest his win in the bypoll.

Amidst accusations of money distribution by rival sides — the AIADMK and the Dhinakaran camp — the former Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MP, contesting as an independent, had trounced the ruling party candidate E Madhusudhanan. He won by a margin of

RK Nagar bypoll is a big stain on Tamil Nadu politics; it is a big stain on Indian democracy. I won’t call this purchased win even a scam .... this is a daylight crime. Kamal Haasan

40,000 votes, giving a jolt to the Chief Minister K Palaniswami led dispensation.

Both Dhinakaran as well as the ruling party have denied charges of

This doesn’t befit his age and experience. Under the garb of attacking the winner, he is attacking the people, who are mainly from poorer sections, saying they voted for money. Dhinakaran

money distribution during the hustings.

In his article, without naming Dhinakaran, Haasan said the RK Nagar bypoll win was a “purchased” one, alluding to alleged money distribution by the rebel camp.

“RK Nagar bypoll is a big stain on Tamil Nadu politics; it is a big stain on Indian democracy. I won’t call this purchased win even a scam .... this is a day light crime,” Haasan charged.

Haasan charged that both the “independent” and the “ruling side fixed rates” for voters.

Alleging that people had voted for money, Haasan, in the article, said “you have been sold out.”

Dhinakaran, responding to Haasan’s allegations, hit out at the award-winning star, saying he had “insulted” and “hurt” the RK Nagar voters by making such allegations. Haasan’s charge was “strongly condemnable,” he told reporters here.

“This doesn’t befit his age and experience. Under the garb of attacking the winner, he is attacking the people, who are mainly from poorer sections, saying they voted for money,” Dhinakaran said. — PTI