As voting for 39 seats in Tamil Nadu in the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls got underway on Friday, K Annamalai, BJP’s Tamil Nadu unit president and candidate from Coimbatore, attacked the opposition parties DMK and AIADMK, alleging that they spent over Rs 1000 crore in Coimbatore just to influence voters.

The first phase of the 18th Lok Sabha elections commenced today, spanning across 21 states and union territories (UTs). Annamalai cast his vote at a polling booth in Uthupatti, Karur.

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DMK leader Ganapathy P. Rajkumar and AIADMK ‘s Singai Ramachandran are contesting against the BJP state president in Coimbatore.

The BJP’s Coimbatore candidate asserted that if the opposition can bring any one person who can say that a BJP person is trying to influence them, he will leave politics that day.

“What DMK, AIADMK is doing in Coimbatore, everybody is watching it. More than 1000 crores have been spent in Coimbatore. If they can bring one voter in front of the media to say that some BJP person is trying to influence them, I will leave politics the same day because I am running in this election as a matter of principle,” Annamalai said, as ANI reported.

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“DMK thinks that it can buy people with money and AIADMK is also on the same boat. Officials in Coimbatore have gone blind for the last 2-3 days. Our people repeatedly have complained to the collector. The action has not been taken, it is not neutral,” he further alleged.

He confidently stated that the BJP would exceed the 25 per cent mark independently and secure double-digit figures in the upcoming elections.

“Today I have done my democratic duty and it is an important duty for every citizen of our country because India has a functioning democracy where citizens make democracy to function. We are extremely confident that people will repost their trust in good people and governance. I am extremely confident that Tamil Nadu will witness a historic change. People will honour our all candidates for their hard work,” Annamalai said.

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Critiquing the INDIA bloc’s silence on its prime ministerial candidate, he said, “The opposition is clueless. The INDIA bloc is yet to announce its Prime Minister candidate. The people of Tamil Nadu deserve an answer. Tamil Nadu has benefited on every single point, be it funds coming, be it the glory and honour given to the Tamil language.”