The AIADMK on April 5 urged the Election Commission of India to cancel the candidature of DMK leader M.K. Stalin in Kolathur, his son and DMK youth wing secretary Udhayanidhi Stalin in Chepauk-Triplicane, DMK general secretary Durai Murugan in Katpadi and two other leaders, alleging that money was being distributed by the DMK to voters in these constituencies.
R.M. Babu Murugavel, joint secretary of AIADMK’s advocates’ wing and spokesperson, in a letter to Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo, claimed that Durga Stalin, Mr. Stalin’s wife, had organised payment of ₹10,000 to women’s self help groups for campaigning in favour of her husband in Kolathur.
The letter claimed that through the candidate and his associates had paid ₹5,000 to voters through Google Pay. A similar amount was paid to through online transaction in Chepauk-Triplicane and in Tiruvannamalai, where former Minister E.V. Velu was contesting. In Tiruchi (West) and Katpadi, where the DMK’s principal secretary K.N. Nehru and Durai Murugan are contesting, ₹2,000 was given to the voters, it was alleged.
D. Jayakumar, AIADMK’s candidate for Royapuram and organisation secretary, accused the DMK of having faith only in “money power” instead of in democracy.
The party has also protested to the Chief Electoral Officer against Sun News, a Tamil television channel, for the manner of potrayal of certain events that took place in the last four years in the State. According to Mr Babu Murugavel, such telecast was happening even during the “silence period,” which began at 7 p.m. on Sunday.
