Accusing officials of remaining mute spectators, Congress candidate for Theni Lok Sabha constituency EVKS Elangovan alleged on Saturday that “money was flowing” in Theni district.

Speaking to reporters here, he said that the AIADMK was indulging in distribution of money to voters. “It is going on in a rampant manner,” he said and charged the officials with inaction. Instead, officials were seizing money from innocent persons, he added.

Coming down heavily on the sitting AIADMK MP for not taking any tangible action to bring rail projects to Theni in the last five years, he said it was wrong to pass the blame on to the Congress government. “As an MP, the AIADMK representative should have taken steps,” he said.

The outstanding issues with neighbouring Kerala, especially Mulla Periyar issue, would be resolved amicably, if he was elected.

When a scribe pointed out that he was being described as an outsider, Mr. Elangovan pooh poohed the theory and said that he was familiar with the masses in every town in Tamil Nadu. In a lighter vein, he remarked, if it were Meghalaya or Chattisgarh, the description might be right. “The people have to make a responsible choice of who should be in and who should be shown the door,” he said and added that he was confident of winning with a comfortable margin.