Chennai, Nov 11 : Tamil Nadu Minister S. Raghupathi on Monday accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of acting with 'hidden motives' in hastening the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. He alleged that the AIADMK and its leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) were 'colluding with the BJP' to disenfranchise Tamil voters.

Raghupathi clarified that the DMK has 'no objection' to the revision of voter rolls or the conduct of free and fair elections. 'However,' he said, 'when the Election Commission rushes the SIR work without adequate time, just months before the Assembly polls, it raises suspicion of ulterior motives. The DMK opposes this move that threatens the democratic rights of Tamil Nadu's people.'

The Minister said the DMK, along with its allies, held protests across all district headquarters to oppose the SIR operation and safeguard the right to vote.

'To protect democracy, the DMK not only protested on the streets but also convened an all-party meeting and approached the Supreme Court against this process,' he said.

Turning his attack toward the opposition, Raghupathi accused AIADMK chief Edappadi Palaniswami of 'betraying Tamil Nadu's interests.'

'EPS, who once claimed to know only democracy and not mythology, has now become the BJP's most obedient follower. The AIADMK, which has no real commitment to democracy, has gone to court supporting the SIR ' a move even the BJP itself hasn't dared to take,' he said.

Raghupathi alleged that EPS is 'trying to become Chief Minister again through deceit, just as he did at Koovathur,' and likened his present stance to a 'political surrender' before the BJP.

He said the SIR is part of the BJP's larger design to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in Tamil Nadu and 'endanger both the voting rights and citizenship of Tamils.'

He further accused EPS of blindly supporting every BJP law and policy ' from the CAA and agricultural laws to mining and power projects ' and mocked him as 'a loyal servant acting under the slogan, 'I am your slave.''

Raghupathi concluded that while BJP allies in Bihar (JDU) and Andhra Pradesh (TDP) had refused to back similar operations, 'only EPS has stooped to file a case supporting the SIR, proving his servitude to the BJP.'

/IANS