With nine weeks to go for the Lok Sabha elections,Chief Minister M Karunanidhi reopened an old feud with the Chief Electoral Officer of the state,with whom his party has been having a running feud. While Karunanidhi has cited the larger interest of democracy to raise the issue,the latest tirade came after the CEO issued charge memos to revenue officials involved in the conduct of Thirumangalam bypoll this January. The bypoll was one of the most expensive and massive elections that the state has witnessed. Writing in his party mouthpiece Murasoli on Wednesday,Karunanidhi questioned the neutrality of CEO Naresh Gupta,pointing out the timing of the recently-concluded bypoll at Thirumangalam Assembly constituency,and an alleged unusual interest that he showed in transferring few police officials as soon as AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa raised complaints. In case of a bypoll,the practice is to conduct elections within six months or along with the general elections to avoid incurring unnecessary expenses. However,in the case of Thirumangalam,the Election Commission was in an undue haste to conduct the polls,charged Karunanidhi,laying the blame on both Gupta and Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami. Commenting on the Thirumangalam elections,Gopalaswami had said that it was a blot on democracy,which irked the CM. The DMK patriarch alleged that though the model code of conduct was applicable only from the afternoon of March 2 when the Election Commission announced the schedule of elections,Gupta's office had asked certain newspapers to refrain from publishing reports on welfare schemes announced by the state Government on February 28,March 1 and March 2 morning. Karunanidhis strong remarks against the CEO came at a time the official had served charge memos to 19 revenue officials in the rank of tahsildar and deputy tahsildar,who failed to follow guidelines for the Thirumangalam bypoll. Sources in the CEO's office said despite clear instruction from Gupta,those on poll duty failed to ensure fair polling during the election in which the DMK beat AIADMK hands down. Two days before polling,Gupta had instructed them to enter the details of the photo identity cards,which was not adhered to by a few officials. In a curious coincidence,Gupta was the Home Secretary during Jayalalithaas tenure in 2001-06,quite like the present CEC Gopalaswami who was the Union Home Secretary when BJP leader LK Advani was the Home Minister. Gupta was the department secretary when Karunanidhi was arrested in 2001 as per the orders of the then CM,Jayalalithaa. During 2006 Assembly elections,Karunanidhi,then in Opposition,had alleged that the conduct of the CEO was bringing a bad name to the Election Commission as Gupta had refused to take action against the AIADMK members who had violated the model code. Gupta,in turn,had refuted charges of bias and replied that those who did not have confidence in him could seek a replacement with the Election Commission of India.