Ready to quit politics if video showing DMK minister discussing cash-for-votes is proven fake: BJP leader Annamalai

On Sunday, Annamalai posted the video on his Twitter handle and also tagged the Election Commission of India (ECI) and Tamil Nadu’s chief electoral officer. “DMK faces the election pinning their hopes on money power & they presume that anything could be bought with money! If in doubt, check this out!” he wrote.

DMK faces the election pinning their hopes on money power &

they presume that anything could be bought with money!

If in doubt, check this out! @TNelectionsCEO @ECISVEEP pic.twitter.com/RgVtRUeTS1

— K.Annamalai (மோடியின் குடும்பம்) (@annamalai_k) January 29, 2023

In the video, Tamil Nadu Municipal Administration Minister K N Nehru is heard speaking with Elangovan during an election campaign meeting. Nehru can be allegedly heard discussing plans to provide cash to the voters at a marriage hall and saying everything should be settled between January 30 to February 1.

Responding to the allegation, Elangovan said Monday, “I don’t know how it (video) was taken because two to three people were speaking at the same time. I don’t know who said what. I am not ready to answer him (Annamalai) at this point. My focus is completely on meeting people and asking them to provide me with a chance to do welfare for this constituency. I need to continue the work my son left.”

DMK minister E V Velu said he was present during the meeting and he can confidently say that Nehru and Elangovan did not discuss anything about the distribution of cash to voters. Velu also alleged Annamalai had posted the morphed video with the intention to disrupt the bypoll.

Reacting to the minister’s comment, Annamalai said he is ready to release the original footage whenever Velu wants him to and also share it with the Tamil Nadu police department

“The chief minister should ensure that the footage is subjected to a forensic test. If Minister E V Velu proves that the footage is edited, I am ready to leave politics. But if the footage turns out to be true then the chief minister should offer a public apology. I am up for the challenge,” he said.

The Erode bypoll is scheduled to be conducted on February 27 and votes will be counted on March 2. It was necessitated by the death of Elangovan’s son and Congress MLA E Thirumahan Everaa earlier this month.