TVK Rift Deepens: Cadres Clash Over "Where Did the Election Expense Money Go?"

CHENNAI — Sharp arguments have broken out among administrators of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) over funds meant for election expenses, with cadres in several districts questioning where the money allocated for campaign work actually went.

The disputes have surfaced across multiple TVK units since the party's rise to power, with grassroots workers alleging that district secretaries collected money from cadres in exchange for party positions and government postings, while long-time volunteers who funded campaign work from their own pockets were left without recognition or reimbursement.

Cadres Allege Favoritism

In Chennai's RK Nagar unit, a party functionary publicly accused the district secretary of ignoring instructions from the general secretary and handing out positions only to those who paid, rather than to workers who had served the movement for years. Similar grievances have emerged in other districts, where administrators say campaign costs were unevenly distributed and some candidates were left to fund their own election expenses despite assurances of party support.

In some constituencies, candidates and volunteers reportedly spent personal funds — including pledging family valuables — to cover daily campaign costs, fueling resentment toward district-level leaders accused of mismanaging centrally allocated funds.

Party Leadership Under Pressure

With cadres in several districts openly airing their frustrations, political observers say the disputes over election spending could become a headache for the TVK leadership, particularly as questions about internal transparency and accountability continue to surface at the district level.

The party has not issued an official statement addressing the specific allegations of missing or misused election expense funds.