Chaos broke out after BJP and AIADMK cadres clashed in Ooty outside the nomination centre over an argument regarding time slots while filing nominations for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. According to reports, the police refused permission for a procession to the centre where BJP’s L Murugan was set to file his nomination. BJP cadres alongside state president K Annamalai who was also present staged a protest outside the Nilgiris District Collector’s office. Police lathi-charged the protesting cadres to disperse them.
The Hindu reports that Murugan and other BJP leaders arrived late at the nomination centre though the slot given to them was 12:00 noon. AIADMK’s Lokesh Tamilselvan was reportedly set to file his nomination about an hour later, but Murugan was still filing his. Taking issue with this, top AIADMK party functionaries, including district secretary Kappachi D Vinoth and Rajya Sabha MP AK Selvaraj, began raising slogans outside the nomination centre, according to the Hindu.
Meanwhile, cadres of both parties also staged protests, shutting down arterial roads. The AIADMK alleged that the police were failing to provide adequate protection and protested on the Gudalur-Ooty National Highway. The protests led to severe traffic snarls with weekend travellers returning from Ooty getting stuck on the roads.
Visuals from the protests also show large crowds of BJP cadres raising slogans of ‘Bharat Matha ki Jai’ and engaging in arguments with the police whom they have accused of highhandedness. Later, Superintendent of Police P Sundaravadivel arrived at the scene to speak to leaders of both parties in order to get the protesters to disperse.
The Niligirs constituency is set to see a three-way fight between L Murugan, Lokesh Tamilselvan, and DMK sitting MP A Raja. Tamil Nadu will go to polls on April 19 during the first phase.