Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President M Karunanidhi today asked his party men not to get provoked by the "violence unleashed on them by the opposition" during campaigning for the Tirumangalam assembly bypoll in the state.

"Bear the planned violence unleashed on you and carry on the election work and maintain peace. We have to tell the world that we believe in non-violence," Karunanidhi said in a statement.

He asked the party workers not to give room for the undemocratic forces , which was bent upon to stop the election on some pretext or other and co-operate with the Election Commission (EC) for the peaceful conduct of the Tirumangalam bypoll in Madurai district to be held on January nine.

He said his government was prepared to co-operate with the EC for a peaceful poll.

"If EC wants to transfer any official, my government will not hesitate to do that. Peace and Democracy should win there. There is no two opinions there," he said.

Karunanidhi s remarks came after reports of violence and clashes between DMK and AIADMK volunteers in the district.

Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer, Naresh Gupta, expressing concern over violence said at Madurai last night, that happenings in Tirumangalam have brought stigma to the election process and those involved in it, especially after the EC held the polls in a peaceful and smooth manner in states like Karnataka and JK.
Source : PTI