The recent revelation that the DMK heavily funded three allies — the CPI, the CPI(M) and the fringe Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi (KMDK) — in the last Lok Sabha election has triggered a debate on electoral funding. That the CPI(M) did not reflect the receipt of ₹10 crore from the DMK in its accounts submitted to the Election Commission of India (ECI)only came in handy for critics of the Left movement.
The DMK had also donated to the CPI and the KMDK ₹15 crore each, which it accounted for in its filing before the poll body. In the DMK–led Secular Progressive Alliance, the Left parties were allotted two seats each and the KMDK one.
While the Left has expectedly been embarrassed by the development, DMK president M.K. Stalin has taken the position that he need not explain the funding to anyone as the party had submitted its accounts before the ECI.
Political observers point out that in every pre-election parley, funding of smaller parties is a part of the alliance deal, with a portion being accounted for and the rest given through other channels. Unlike in the instant case where the funding was through bank transfer, in most cases it is not.
Ramu Manivannan, professor, department of politics and public administration, University of Madras, said that while he was sympathetic to the circumstances of electoral politics, to which no one was an exception, if the Communist parties had revealed that they had received money from the DMK, it would have put them on a higher plane.
“The general impression about the Communist parties is that their leaders are very simple, honest, down to earth and transparent. But ₹15 crore for the CPI and ₹10 crore for the CPI(M) are big amounts, considering the fact that they contested only in two constituencies each. So, they have gained the reputation that they also have succumbed to the gamble of money in electoral politics,” he said.
The DMK affidavit, however, is silent if it donated funds to other allies such as the Congress, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi.
Over the years, the spiralling of election expenditure, despite the ceiling stipulated by the ECI, has forced political parties to opt for candidates who are multi-millionaires, industrialists or educationists.
What is surprising, however, is that the DMK itself claimed to have spent only about ₹79 crore in the elections, when it donated ₹40 crore to three allies.
CPI(M)'s defence
CPI(M) Polit Bureau member G. Ramakrishnan defended receiving the donation from the DMK, claiming the BJP was said to have spent ₹27,000 crore for the polls.
“We do not take money from corporate entities. We have not hidden the fact that we received funds from the DMK. We have submitted our accounts to the election commission and they are going to put them on their website,” he said.
The CPI(M) was sustained by levy and donations from party workers and the party also had to take care of the full-time workers and their families. he said,
Both Mr. Manivannan and Mr. Ramakrishnan said electoral reforms alone could put an end to an increase in poll spending.
Mr. Manivannan said, “Electoral reforms can be achieved only if you put a ceiling on the spending and allow state funding.”
Mr. Ramakrishnan said, “The ECI should meet the election expenditure of the candidates of the recognised political parties. Those who want to donate to political parties should give the money to it.”
