CHENNAI : VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan on Saturday revealed that late AIADMK leader J Jayalalithaa and MDMK general secretary Vaiko had given funds for his party’s electoral works during the 2006 Assembly elections. However, Thirumavalavan clarified that it was an assistance given for election work and not for his personal use. “I had never asked for any funds from Vaiko or any other leader including GK Moopanar, Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi but on their volition, they had given funds. Likewise, Vaiko also gave money for election work,” Thirumavalavan said during an interview to a television channel.
Referring to Vaiko’s statement a few days earlier that he had given `50 lakh to VCK during the 2006 election campaign, Thirumavalavan recalled what happened then.“Vaiko Annan gave `30 lakh during the election campaign in 2006, ie, twelve years ago. When the campaign was going on, he invited me to his native village Kalingapatti. I went there along with my colleagues at around 1.30 am.
After having dinner, he asked me how I was managing the electoral expenses. I said there were difficulties. Jayalalithaa Amma also gave only `25 lakh and asked me to manage with that. After that, Vaiko gave me the money without me asking for it.”
“An election campaign involves many ground-level works. Sometimes, we have to campaign in the constituencies in which other parties are also contesting and we have to spend for that. “So, it was not something secretly done. It was an assistance given for election work. But Vaiko’s statement that I had asked for more funds on another occasion during 2006 campaign, was totally wrong.”