Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has informed the Madras High Court that there is no evidence to support allegations that he paid ₹10 lakh to music composer S. Thaman for a campaign song. In an affidavit seeking the dismissal of an election petition filed by DMK candidate R.D. Shekar, Mr. Vijay stated that the claim is purely conjectural and lacks any documentation such as invoices, receipts, or contracts to prove the expenditure occurred.
Mr. Vijay further argued that the petition fails to provide foundational facts for other alleged campaign expenses that purportedly exceeded the statutory limit of ₹40 lakh. He also dismissed claims regarding the receipt of foreign funds, noting that the mere existence of social media accounts operated by individuals abroad does not constitute evidence of financial contributions. The Chief Minister emphasized that the petitioner has not established how these alleged financial irregularities materially affected the election results, which saw Mr. Vijay win by a margin of 53,715 votes.
Addressing accusations of corrupt practices, the Chief Minister maintained that his visits to places of worship during the campaign did not violate election laws. He contended that the petition lacks the necessary particulars required under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, as it fails to specify the nature of any religious appeals or the audiences to whom they were allegedly addressed.
