Confident of victory, says Chidambaram on DMK-Congress alliance

Senior Congress leader and former Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Monday exuded confidence that the DMK-Congress alliance will get a good majority and form next government in Tamil Nadu.

"The alliance of DMK, Congress and others will for sure get a good majority. A regime change will happen. I am totally confident that a DMK government will be formed," he told reporters here after casting his vote.

Chidambaram also charged the Election Commission with "failing to check distribution of money by AIADMK".

"Election Commission has failed in checking distribution of money by AIADMK men in Tamil Nadu. The AIDMK men had distributed money at several places," he alleged.

"Information I am getting for the past 10 ten days confirmed money distribution," he added.

Though he welcomed flying squad raids and vehicle checks, he said they have "not prevented the distribution of money for votes and taking money for votes".

He said polls in Aravakurichi and Thanjavur constituencies could have been nullified after today's elections instead of postponing it to May 23.

The EC had postponed the polling in the two constituencies after seizure of huge sums of cash and reports of large-scale distribution of money to voters.

On the detaining of three trucks carrying Rs 570 crore near Tirupur by election officials, the former finance minister said he was "not aware whether so much of money can be taken to the bank".

"It is a rare news that so much of money was being carried in containers," he said while seeking an investigation into the matter.

Referring to the rains in various parts of the state today, he said showers on the polling day are indication of the "change" to come.