TIRUPPUR: A video of TVK candidate P Sathyabama, purportedly claiming she had spent Rs 31 crore during the Assembly election held in April and the AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami “had not given her a single paisa”, went viral on Tuesday.
She was also heard saying Rs 14 lakh was spent on accommodation for party functionaries during the current bypoll. Though Sathyabama denied the charges by saying the video was doctored, opposition parties have demanded the election commission conduct a proper inquiry and disqualify her.
Addressing reporters after casting her vote at a booth in Madhukampalayam, she said, “That video was generated using AI. I will lodge a complaint with the election commission.”
The DMK has lodged a complaint with Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik seeking an immediate inquiry into alleged undisclosed election expenditure by Sathyabama in the constituency.
In his complaint, DMK deputy organisation secretary and MLA S Austin said the candidate had purportedly said about Rs 14 lakh had been spent on logistics, including hotel accommodation for visiting dignitaries and ministers, flight tickets for alliance representatives and payments connected with election coordination. He told reporters at the state secretariat that each candidate has to submit his expenditure once every two days to the election observer.
Every candidate is allowed to spend only Rs 40 lakh for the Assembly election. Since she claimed Rs 14 lakh expenditure for accommodation of party functionaries alone, the CEO should direct the district election officer to look into whether Sathyabama had shown this expenditure in her account.
“Besides, in the video, she also revealed she had spent Rs 31 crore for the April election. If this charge is investigated, she can’t even contest for any election for the next three years, and she has to undergo six months’ imprisonment,” he added.
Speaking to reporters in Chennai, PWD Minister Aadhav Arjuna said it was an AI video. “I can also release a video tomorrow morning claiming that Stalin sir (DMK president) had spent Rs 1,000 crore for the elections. Can’t you understand the intent behind the release of that video at 10 am today?” he asked.