Left parties claim ruling TVK hands out more cash to voters than rivals

At a statewide demonstration demanding the removal of chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, CPM state secretary P Shanmugam claimed that villagers in Madurantakam have told the Left front that all parties are distributing cash for votes, and that the ruling TVK is offering the largest sums. He asked the Election Commission to look into these voter statements and for party leaders to respond. CPI state secretary M Veerapandian said members of other parties are tallying voters to hand out cash.

TVK president C Joseph Vijay had pledged not to use money to buy votes, a promise Shanmugam says is not being kept. Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president Manickam Tagore asserted that the DMK and AIADMK are also vying to bribe voters, who then turn to TVK.