Grant ignites election cash row

Chief Minister M K Stalin's announcement of 25,000 ‘Special Summer Grant’ to 1.31 crore beneficiaries prompted Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami to accuse the ruling DMK of deploying public funds as an election-season inducement.

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Hours after the transfer reached beneficiaries’ bank accounts, Palaniswami described the move as a “last-minute cash transfer” driven by fear of defeat. In a social media post, he questioned the timing of the announcement enhancing the monthly assistance from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 as part of a poll commitment, asking whether voters could see what “fe