All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) on Wednesday hit out at Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) supremo MK Stalin and called him a “puppet chief minister”.
EPS — speaking at an election campaign in Tenkasi — said that despite being in power for three years, DMK did not speak about its achievements in the election campaign, rather “they only slammed” him.
The Tamil Nadu chief minister “has done nothing for the state, so there is nothing to talk about”, the AIADMK leader said, adding that “Stalin is a puppet chief minister.” In fact, the Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly said that “Stalin mistakenly became the CM,” and because of this regime, “people are suffering a lot”.
“People are suffering under his rule but Stalin puts a pen symbol in the sea (pen-shaped monument for former CM M Karunanidhi) in memory of his father. If you want to put a pen symbol in your father’s memory, put it in your trust fund, why are wasting people’s money?” Palaniswami raised questions.
He also accused DMK of being in an “illegal relationship” with the BJP and said, “Since the day we walked away from the BJP’s alliance, Stalin has been saying that we are in an illegal relationship with the BJP. Stalin should speak with dignity.”
Meanwhile, addressing public meeting in Tenkasi, CM MK Stalin jibed at Palaniswami and said, “Spine is the most important thing for a person to get up and walk but AIADMK general secretary EPS is spineless.”
Stalin also levelled allegations against EPS and said that the “AIADMK general secretary is betraying the rights of Tamil Nadu.”
Earlier on Tuesday, while addressing a poll rally in the Thoothukudi district, EPS slammed Stalin and said that he is keen only on retaining his power and not about the people’s welfare.
He accused the ruling DMK of doing “precious little” to improve the condition of the people who were affected by the unprecedented rain and flood during December last year.
“There was no power supply, food or water for the affected people. Instead of rushing to provide aid to them, the chief minister went to Delhi,” Palaniswami said.
The AIADMK general secretary also hit back at Stalin’s earlier comment about the former having a secret pact with the Bharatiya Janata Party and said that DMK changed its colours after coming to power.
“When in opposition, Stalin’s DMK said ‘Go back Modi’; after coming to power, the DMK is saying ‘Welcome Modi’,” EPS said in is attack on Stalin and his party.
Unlike the ruling party, Palaniswami said, the AIADMK is firm on not forming any alliance with the BJP as people are more important than sharing power at the Centre.
However, Palaniswami said that though his party (AIADMK), the DMK and the BJP lead separate fronts for the Lok Sabha elections, the fight is only between his party and the ruling DMK.
Then also, EPS had slammed Stalin and asked “what he had achieved in three years after assuming power”. He alleged that the DMK is a ‘family party’ and a ‘corporate company’ which has an aim to “loot” at the Centre and in Tamil Nadu as well.
EPS had also hit out at the ruling government’s handling of the Cauvery water issue and said, “Tears of Tamil Nadu’s delta farmers will bring defeat to DMK.”
Karnataka says it will not give Cauvery water and asserts it will build Mekedatu dam across Cauvery river. Stalin is however silent. “In Lok Sabha polls, teach lesson to Stalin who betrays Tamil Nadu and its farmers,” Palaniswami said.
(With PTI, ANI inputs)
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