CHENNAI: Chief minister and DMK president MK Stalin has said no partyman or woman with criminal charges would be given a ticket to contest the urban local body election and functionaries should ensure that.
In an open letter to party cadres on Sunday, the CM has urged them to settle their seat sharing with allies without any hitch, work for the victory of the DMK-led alliance across the state and ensure good governance.
Stalin also urged cadres to expose “BJP’s detrimental politics” and its alleged attempts "to plant seeds of religious hatred" among people in TN, who are living in harmony. “Expose the two parties (referring to the BJP and the AIADMK), which are against the welfare of the people, and tell them that the state would never permit a non-secular force to get a foothold in the state," he said.
Stalin said he had already held consultations with the district secretaries, MPs and MLAs on the election preparations. Once the seat sharing is completed the party candidates should be selected strictly, like the army selection process. All elected representatives would have to take the government’s schemes to the people, he said.
Selecting candidates, sharing of seats and seeking votes should be done in coordination, with a single goal of victory, said Stalin. Leaders of the alliance have assured their support to all the constructive actions of the DMK government, he noted. "Our alliance should not be a mere election tie-up; it should be a secular alliance, which is policy and development oriented,’’ he said.
"Local administration is the basis of good democracy. It will pave the way for the government’s schemes to reach the people at the tail-end. People can also get their needs met. The DMK is a movement that has always ensured that the local body is strengthened at all cost," said Stalin. Elections are to be held for 21 corporations, 148 municipalities and town panchayats in the state.
