Madurai: Buoyed by the DMK's win in the hotly-contested by-election to Tirumangalam Assembly constituency, party's campaign committee head M K Azhagiri today said the result showed the people did not believe the "defamatory and vituperative" statements made against him by the opposition.

Speaking to the media at his house, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's son Azhagiri, considered the party strongman in the southern districts, said he would file defamation cases against rival party leaders for making defamatory statements.

Azhagiri was initially reluctant to accept the election work, but was later persuaded by his younger sibling and DMK Treasurer M K Stalin.

Apprehending large-scale violations by the DMK in the constituency, the AIADMK had last month petitioned the Election Commission asking it to ensure that Azhagiri was not permitted to enter the constituency.

Meanwhile, AIADMK candidate M Muthuramalingam, who lost the elections, alleged that the DMK had "bought the victory".

Reacting to his drubbing in the election by a margin of 39,266 votes, he said while the AIADMK faced the election democratically, the DMK fought it with "power of money, weapon and government machinery".

"DMK's victory was not permanent," Muthuramalingam said.

Source : PTI