Tamil Nadu election dates by February-end
CHENNAI: Dates for elections to Tamil Nadu state assembly will be announced during the last week of February, Election Commission sources say. The term of the present Assembly ends on May 5. The sources said the Election Commission of India (ECI) will be meeting on Feb.20 and 21 to finalise the dates for elections in Tamil Nadu, Bengal, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry.
Prior to finalising the dates, the ECI is set to hold consultations with Tamil Nadu chief secretary and the director general of police.
The ECI has consulted with the Central government on deploying Central Security Forces during the election.
The election scene in Tamil Nadu is already hot. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched his campaign on Saturday with a swing of the state’s second largest city Coimbatore, and travelled to its suburbs as well.
He ripped the RSS, political mentor of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying that decisions made at RSS headquarters in Nagpur will not work in Tamil Nadu.
He accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of partnering with big businessmen and ‘selling’ everything that belonged to the people.
“People in Delhi do not respect the Tamil people,” he said. “They do not respect Tamil culture. They think that by speaking in Tamil can deceive the people of Tamil Nadu. But the people of Tamil Nadu will not be fooled.
“Since the days of my grandmother Indira, the Tamil people have been giving good respect to those in our family. I am also one of your family.
“I am not Tamil. But I respect the Tamil language and culture. Tamil Nadu has many natural resources, opportunities and facilities. Most people, however, are underdeveloped. The reason is that GST and petrol prices have affected the state.
“Farmers have been protesting in Delhi for the past one month due to the new agricultural laws. But the central government is working in favour of the rich. The current Tamil Nadu government is led by Modi.
The people of Tamil Nadu should have good governance. I can assure that Congress will do what the people want. I have come here to make this pledge. Thank you for the love and respect you show me.” Speaking from an open van, Rahul went on to lambast Modi: “Narendra Modi uses the Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate to get what he wants. He thinks since he controls the government of Tamil Nadu, that he can control the people of Tamil Nadu.