AIADMK candidates have alleged that funds they paid to the party leadership ahead of ticket selection were not returned after the Assembly election, leaving several of them under financial strain, according to party functionaries.
Functionaries said the party contested 169 constituencies and began candidate selection about two months before the polls through close relatives of the leadership. Those seeking tickets were asked to pay an advance amount to demonstrate their ability to meet campaign expenses, and sums ranging from ₹8 crore to ₹15 crore were reportedly collected from aspirants across Tamil Nadu.
The money was said to have been taken with an assurance that it would be routed back for election expenditure. However, the sources claimed only about half was returned in some cases, while several candidates did not receive even that. When questioned, candidates were allegedly told to borrow and spend due to “Election Commission pressure,” with promises that the issue would be settled later.
After the election, in which 122 AIADMK candidates reportedly lost, many say their funds are still pending. Amounts ranging from ₹50 lakh to ₹8 crore are alleged to be withheld, with relatives saying the money was handed to district secretaries, and district leaders denying receipt. Candidates say they have now begun directly pressing general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, warning that the dispute could further damage the party’s image amid a run of setbacks.
