DMK retains Kathir Anand for Vellore Lok Sabha seat

 The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Saturday announced its decision to retain D.M. Kathir Anand as the party's candidate for the Vellore Lok Sabha constituency.

A statement issued by DMK President M.K. Stalin announced the name of Anand as the Lok Sabha candidate from the Vellore constituency for which polling will be held on August 5.

Anand is the son of DMK Treasurer and senior leader Duraimurugan.

The election for the Vellore constituency was to be held on April 18, which was rescinded following the seizure of a large amount of cash by the Income Tax department from a cement warehouse belonging to a DMK functionary.

The election commission (EC) while rescinding the poll then said it was "fully satisfied" that the current electoral process in Vellore has been seriously vitiated on account of unlawful activities on behalf of DMK candidate Kathir Anand and some members/workers of the political party in question.

"In the Commission's considered opinion, allowing the current electoral process to conducting the poll in the constituency on April 18, 2019, as scheduled, in such a vitiated atmosphere would have severely jeopardized the conduct of free and fair elections," the EC said.

The DMK-led front won 37 out of the 38 Lok Sabha seats polling for which was held on April 18.IANS