Tamil Nadu chief-minister Edapadi K. Palaniswami has said that neither the Govt. nor the AIADMK was responsible for the rejection of candidatures of a ‘few individuals’ by the Election Commission which scrutinized the nominations filed to contest the R.K. Nagar by-polls in Chennai to be held on 21st December.

Addressing a preparatory meeting of the ruling AIADMK in Tondiarpet in R.K. Nagar Assembly constituency, the chief-minister said that the rejection of a few candidatures by the Election Commission in R.K. Nagar should not be linked to the ruling party of the Government. “We don’t interfere with the EC’s duties; if the nomination papers are not duly filled-in or signed, they deserve rejection at any stage,” he remarked.

He appealed to the party cadres to keep in mind the code of conduct which has come into play ahead of the by-polls due in a fortnight’s time from now. “The whole of the country is keenly watching the results of the R.K. Nagar by-polls,” he said adding that the AIADMK is gearing up confidently to face its first test in the absence of its all-powerful ‘permanent’ general secretary J. Jayalalithaa.

Speaking on the occasion, deputy chief-minister O. Panneerselvam requested the cadres to work hard to give victory by a huge margin to AIADMK candidate and party’s senior leader Madhusudanan. “We ought to prove that R.K. Nagar has always been a ‘fort’ of the party. We were split into two during April but have unified now, realizing unity is our biggest strength,” he added.