S P Velumani (File photo)
COIMBATORE: Former minister S P Velumani on Thursday claimed that the AIADMK-led alliance would win 210 seats in the Tamil Nadu assembly elections and party general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami would return as the chief minister.Velumani, who is AIADMK’s Thondamuthur candidate, cast his vote with his family at Sugunapuram Government School early in the day.Speaking to reporters afterward, he said the alliance was headed for a sweeping victory across the state. He claimed that the AIADMK alliance would sweep all the 10 constituencies in Coimbatore district, along with Avinashi. He said the party would win in the Nilgiris and Tirupur districts, as well.Velumani said voters were turning out enthusiastically because they wanted the return of what he described as the “good governance” of EPS.He accused the local administration and the police of acting improperly during polling. He alleged that election officials in Coimbatore had not worked transparently and claimed that tokens were distributed to voters in Kavundampalayam on Thursday morning.Referring to an incident in Coimbatore South involving AIADMK candidate Amman Arjunan, Velumani alleged that the candidate had been seriously harassed and obstructed. Velumani said he would consult Arjunan on the next course of action, including possible protests.He added that although Coimbatore was known as a peaceful district, attempts were being made to disturb the atmosphere. He said neither the people nor AIADMK would allow that to happen.
