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Chidambaram urges EC to be vigilant in the coming days

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Press Trust of India Sivaganga (TN)
Union Minister P Chidambaram today urged the Election Commission to be "vigilant" in the coming days against distribution of cash for votes in Tamil Nadu, which is going for polls on April 24.

Addressing an election campaign of his son Karti P Chidambaram, Congress Candidate from Sivaganga constituency, Chidambaram, who himself faced the accusation of distributing wrist watchs to voters, said the election officials should monitor round the clock in the coming days to prevent distribution of money in any form.

He urged the voters not to be carried away by "tall claims" by regional parties that they would form the government at the Centre.
 

"Voting for regional parties is like casting invalid votes" he said and asked "what is the guarantee that they would not compromise with BJP after the elections".

"Both the Dravidian parties in the state were hesitating to criticise BJP and they would not mind compromising with the saffron party after the elections," he said.

"Either BJP or Congress only can form the Government at the Centre after the polls. We will form the government or prevent BJP from forming it", he said.

He said Congress had never joined hands with BJP and would not do so in future also.

The minister said Congress was the only party that completed full term when it got power. There was no history that the Congress government had been toppled, he said.

He said congress was working for the upliftment of backward class and minorities who constituted 90 per cent of the population.

"BJP would work only for the welfare of the forward class people who constituted only 10 per cent", he said, adding, the safforn party were against the reservation system.

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First Published: Apr 20 2014 | 10:00 PM IST

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