Ex-minister denies money for seat charges

An AIADMK functionary charged here on Monday that the seat allotted to his daughter was transferred to a TMC candidate after he failed to hand over the money demanded by former minister Vellamandi N Natarajan. But, the ex-minister refused the charges.

Sources said that TTC Palanisamy (65), a circle secretary of AIADMK, who came to the Collectorate with a petition claiming that his daughter Divya was given the party ticket for ward 51 of Tiruchy Corporation by the AIADMK party headquarters officially. However, on the final day of nomination, her candidature was changed to Sengeni, a member of ally TMC.

Speaking to the reporters, Palanisamy said that after the official allotment of the seat, former minister Vellamandi Natarajan sought Rs 5 lakh from him for the same. “Though it was a huge amount, I was arranging the money and there was a minor delay in raising the full amount. But, all of a sudden, the candidature was changed and the former minister transferred the seat to the TMC candidate,” he said.

However, when contacted Natarajan refuted the charges and said, “You can verify with other candidates and the change of candidature is a direction from the party high command. I have no role in it,” he stressed.