Key Points
A complaint filed by Legal Rights Observatory alleges financial transactions between the DMK and church bodies ahead of elections
M K Stalin and DMK leaders have denied the claims, calling them routine community outreach
The controversy has intensified the already polarised campaign just days before polling in the state
Tamil Nadu’s Assembly Election 2026 has taken a sharp legal turn, just a couple days before the state is slated to go to polls. A think tank organization, led by RSS worker Vinay Joshi, has filed a complaint with the Income Tax Department. The complaint accuses church bodies and the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) of financial and political collusion, further heating up an already polarised campaign.
The Legal Rights Observatory (LRO) has urged the Income Tax Department to investigate “suspicious transactions” worth hundreds of crores, which it claims were transacted from the DMK to the Tamil Nadu Catholic Bishops’ Conference. Additionally, the think tank alleged that these illicit transactions were a way to secure public support for Chief Minister MK Stalin ahead of the crucial polls.
Christians and Muslims together constitute nearly 15% of Tamil Nadu’s electorate, making minority community support significant in the election.
Amid the growing controversy, a delegation of Christian bishops met Chief Minister MK Stalin on April 19, 2026 and expressed support for the DMK-led alliance. Opposition parties viewed the meeting as evidence of organised backing from sections of the Church. However, DMK leaders refuted these claims, instead maintaining that this ‘outreach’ is a routine part of democratic interactions with various communities.
What's more, on the same day, reports surfaced of pamphlets criticizing the BJP being distributed during Sunday prayers in churches across several parts of Tamil Nadu. These pamphlets were reportedly issued jointly by multiple Christian organisations, including the Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Conference and other community groups, triggering fresh allegations of coordinated political messaging.
Earlier, on April 10, 2026, representatives of Christian minority groups had publicly declared their support for the DMK and its alliance partners. At a gathering in Chennai, CSI Zion Church Chairman Raja Freeman stated that the Christian and minority communities were firmly behind the ruling party and hoped for its return to power.
Chairman, CSI Zion Church, Raja Freeman said: “Today we are gathered here to show our support to the DMK party. We are expecting the DMK government to re-establish our Chief Minister again to get his seat again for the seventh time. The Christian community and minority community will support the work of the DMK party.”
Tamil Nadu is set to vote in a single phase on April 23, with results expected on May 4. The primary contest is between the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA), which includes the Congress and several other regional parties, and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led in the state by the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK).
This recent complaint has added a legal angle to what is already an intense and high-stakes election season. With issues of governance, political alliances, and community support dominating the discourse, it remains to be seen whether these allegations will influence voter sentiment.
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