VCK demands Gyanesh Kumar's resignation, says TVK will join Tamil Nadu protests

Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) chief Thol Thirumavalavan has demanded Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, alleging that he colluded with the BJP and RSS in electoral malpractice.

Speaking to India Today TV, Thirumavalavan said statewide protests against the Union government would be held in Tamil Nadu from October 13 to 15. Chief Minister Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) would join the Congress, VCK, MDMK and Left parties in the agitation, he said.

“Gyanesh Kumar should resign from his post,” Thirumavalavan said, alleging that his actions violated the Constitution and undermined democracy.

The call comes amid protests across the country demanding Kumar’s resignation after The Indian Express reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections on record at least 14 times over the past 10 months to SIR decisions and orders they said were issued without their knowledge or recommendation.

The Election Commission said differing views were a normal part of institutional deliberations and asserted that all its orders had legal sanction and followed established statutory procedures.

Meanwhile, TVK’s general secretary for election campaign management, Aadhav Arjuna, filed a complaint with Tamil Nadu’s Chief Electoral Officer against DMK president MK Stalin over alleged body-shaming remarks about the party’s Dharapuram candidate, P Sathyabama.

In the complaint dated October 3, Arjuna alleged that Stalin violated the Model Code of Conduct at a campaign meeting in Dharapuram on October 2. He said the remarks were widely broadcast and circulated on social media.

According to the complaint, Stalin referred to names allegedly used for Sathyabama, including “Petti Bama” (Suitcase Bama) and “Palti Bama” (Somersault Bama), and questioned how she could perform a somersault “with that kind of appearance”.

Arjuna alleged that the remark targeted her appearance rather than her policies, public record or political positions.- Ends