My nomination papers were tampered with, says Jayalalithaa's niece Deepa Jayakumar

The Election Commission yesterday rejected Deepa Jayakumar's nomination form for the RK Nagar bypoll.

The reason given for Deepa's nomination being rejected was that one of forms accompanying her nomination paper was improperly filled. 

Dejected by the rejection, Deepa told India Today that her nomination papers were tampered with. "There is a lot of foul play. I know for a fact my nomination papers were tampered with. For columns not filled, I had submitted affidavit as it was assets value that I couldn't fill because it is a joint property." 

She also revealed that she was threatened by a senior from AIADMK to back out from the contest. "I had got a threat call from a senior AIADMK ruling party leader saying I should not contest and that my nomination will be cancelled if I did. My party workers were beaten up and some are hospitalised. The people who attacked us were people who claimed to be from Madusudanan's faction," she added. 

While appealing to the Chief Election Commissioner to revoke the by polls, Deepa also wants an enquiry to be held on Amrutha. She said, "I will appeal to the chief election commissioner to cancel the by polls and accept my nomination in the next election. Amrutha is a bogus person I want an enquiry on her. Why didn't the ruling party not raised questions on this insult that is being done to Jayalalithaa?" 

Disappointed but not daunted, Deepla will yet again contest in the RK Nagar polls, "I will contest the RK Nagar polls as I represent Jayalalithaa in the hearts of the people of RK Nagar. Amma has lost in many elections that did not mean the end of it all for her," she concluded. 

The by election, which is being held to fill the assembly seat vacated by former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, has already seen many controversies and had to be deferred earlier this year after major allegations of voters being bribed surfaced.