AIADMK moves EC against DMK poll 145;collection146;

The AIADMK has sought a 8216;8216;thorough probe8217;8217; by the Election Commission into the DMK8217;s alleged collection of 8216;8216;huge sums8217;8217; of money from candidates for the Lok Sabha elections.

AIADMK treasurer Dindigul C. Srinivasan, in a complaint to the CEC, said the DMK had instructed aspirants to deposit a 8216;8216;settled8217; amount which would be returned if they did not get a ticket. The directive was published in the DMK organ Murasoli. A minimum of Rs 60 lakh was collected from each aspirant, the AIADMK alleged.

Considering the number of seats and aspirants, the total amount collected was Rs 30-35 crore, 10 times the amount sanctioned as election expenses. 8216;8216;The arithmetic is, indeed, staggering,8217;8217; Srinivasan said. Stalin had described it as 8220;tea expenses8221; for candidates, he said.