DMK chief takes umbrage at Jaya's remarks

Dravida Munetra Kazhagam president M Karunanidhi on Thursday accused All India Anna Dravida Munetra Kazhagam supremo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa of trying to "hoodwink" voters with her allegation that the Election Commission had changed the campaign deadline in rural areas from 11 pm to 10 pm at DMK's behest.

In a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner B B Tandon, he said, "When I came to know about the change, I took it as yet another measure being introduced by the EC to regulate and discipline the election campaign.

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"But Jayalalithaa is trying to attribute motives and question EC's neutrality." He said the EC should react to her "harmful" statement immediately and explain the circumstances, which led to it taking such a decision so that the people were not carried away by "false statements", he said.

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While campaigning for the AIADMK candidate in Thanjavur on Wednesday, Jayalalithaa had charged the DMK with conspiring and compelling the Election Commission to impose restrictions on campaign timings in rural areas.