AIADMK men reluctant on Vellore seat due to poll spend

VELLORE: There is a marked reluctance among the AIADMK cadre to apply for a ticket to contest from the Vellore parliament constituency due to the heavy expenditure involved in campaigning and other works.

According to party sources, while around 40 persons have got the application from the party by paying Rs 20,000 each, most have done so only to avert doubts about their loyalty.

Ironically, AIADMK Vellore’s urban and rural district secretaries did not buy the applications but were reportedly encouraging cadres to do so.

However, they did purchase the applications later

“The practice is for district secretaries to arrive at the party’s Chennai headquarters and get the application by paying the prescribed fee seeking to be the party candidate for the LS seat. But most lack the wherewithal to spend and hence many have just participated and paid up the application fee as a formality,” a senior functionary told DT Next.

This follows party general secretary EPS making it conditional for those applying to be ready to spend a sizable amount for the polls.

Party sources said that those who were willing to contest themselves got applications in their name while those unwilling purchased applications wanting EPS to contest in their areas.

“The fiasco before the 2019 parliament polls, when a senior party functionary got money for campaigning from AC Shanmugam hours before polling, was put off resulting in the candidate complaining to EPS,” the functionary said.

That EPS not wanting to lose his flock demurred to take action was the reason why Shanmugam shifted to the BJP for the ensuing elections and even revealed he was ‘betrayed’ by alliance partners at the start of the campaign at the meeting in Kandeneri near Vellore some months ago,” sources added.

This has resulted in a situation where many, who have paid up now, hope that they will not be chosen as the party candidate as they cannot spend in crores, the same source said.