On Tuesday, a crowd of around 50 members mobbed the car DMK Thondamuthur candidate Karthikeya Sivasenapathy was in, just hours after polling started in Tamil Nadu. They shouted slogans against DMK and blocked the movement of the car by falling on the vehicle and banging on the window panes. The incident happened near Selvapuram booth, and they swarmed the car despite police security. The DMK members alleged that the protest was conducted by AIADMK supporters and have filed a complaint with the Election Commission.  

The DMK candidate Sivasenapathy had cast his vote at his constituency and left to Thondamuthur. While there he inspected the polling at Selvapuram booth and was leaving in his car when the mob blocked him.

Speaking to TNM, a source close to DMK’s Karthikeya Sivasenapathy alleged, “Our candidate was going to check the polling booths, by that time AIADMK candidate SP Velumani’s people falsely said that the DMK candidate is going to the booths to campaign and did not allow us. They violently attacked our car. However, the common people started supporting us.” 

Karthikeya Sivasenapathy has filed a complaint with the Election Commission alleging that the AIADMK members stopped his car, mobbed the vehicle and banged on it, and asked the Collector to take action. He also went on Facebook live to show the violence and protests done by alleged AIADMK cadres. 

Coimbatore’s Thondamuthur constituency is set to face a tough battle as DMK’s Sivasenapathy is facing AIADMK Minister for Municipal Administration SP Velumani. The results for the election will be declared on May 2. During campaigning, DMK candidate Sivasenapathy started an email campaign to report complaints against SP Velumani. The DMK candidate also released videos about the various issues faced in the constituency.