AIADMK Leader Accuses TVK Leader of Bribery Ahead of By-Polls

Senior AIADMK leader and ex-minister R B Udhayakumar on Friday launched a scathing attack against TVK leader C Vijayabaskar, accusing him of distributing gift hampers worth Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 door-to-door in , even before its formal notification. In a video statement, Udhayakumar alleged that Vijayabaskar, a former minister to switch allegiance to TVK, is attempting to buy voter loyalty out of the fear of an imminent electoral defeat. "Even before the Election Commission has announced the bypoll or declared candidates, gift hampers are raining down in Viralimalai. Vijayabaskar is distributing packages containing stainless steel containers, sweets including gulab jamun and rasgulla, and TVK's whistle symbol to households across the constituency," Udhayakumar said, a day after the DMK made similar bribery allegations against the TVK leader. Taking sharp aim at Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and TVK founder C Joseph Vijay, Udhayakumar questioned the state government's anti-corruption rhetoric. "Chief minister Vijay claims to be a pure force who has broken the culture of cash-for-votes. If that is true, why is his newly inducted leader Vijayabaskar handing out gifts to voters. Does Vijayabaskar have zero faith in Vijay's mass appeal and the TVK symbol. The chief minister should deploy his state intelligence wing to verify these distribution drives happening on the ground," he said. Terming Vijayabaskar's political crossover an act of "blatant betrayal," the former minister said the former had turned his back on late CM J Jayalalithaa, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, and party cadres who supported him through five successive election contests and over eight years as a cabinet minister. "Having amassed immense family wealth and extensive properties through positions gifted by the AIADMK, he has now jumped ship to carry the palanquin for Vijay solely to expand his family's economic empire. After resigning and disrespecting the mandate of Viralimalai voters, he now seeks to contest on a whistle symbol (of theTVK) with money power," Udhayakumar charged. Urging voters and the TVK leadership to reflect on these actions, the AIADMK leader warned that reducing democracy to cash and gifts would backfire heavily at the hustings. (With inputs from PTI)