AIADMK distributed Rs 100 cr: Stalin alleges 'cash-for-vote' in RK Nagar

Chennai: The opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu on Sunday told the Election Commission of India that the ruling AIADMK party distributed over Rs 100 crores to the voters for the byelection to RK Nagar constituency.

DMK working president MK Stalin said Tamil Nadu witnessed large-scale distribution of money to garner votes for the December 21 bypoll.

He also requested the poll panel to disqualify AIADMK candidate E Madhusudhanan.

"Take appropriate and necessary action against AIADMK and the erring officials and to ensure free and fair election in RK Nagar Assembly Constituency," his letter read.

Earlier on Saturday, a local AIADMK functionary, N Anbukarasu was 'caught' by rival DMK men with money which they alleged was 'cash-for-votes'.

AIADMK presidium chairman E Madhusudanan dismissed the DMK charge as a lie.

"The members of the rival faction chief TTV Dhinakaran and the opposition DMK wore AIADMK dhoties and carried the party symbol, two-leaves, while distributing money to project as if AIADMK people are involved in this kind of activities in order to withhold the present byelection”, he said in complaint to the election officials.

"These rivals are forcefully getting hold of our party people and voluntarily and forcibly thrusting money into their pockets and creating a scene in front of the general public and the election officials to target our party and by doing this, they have been planning to distribute money to the voters”, Madhusudanan said.

In April, the EC had cancelled the bypoll to Dr Radhakrishnan Nagar constituency following reports that money was used to influence voters.

Bypoll for the RK Nagar constituency was necessary after the seat fell vacant following the death of former chief minister J Jayalithaa in December last year.