Dismissing reports in a section of media that the group under his leadership was causing a crunch situation to the regime of Edappadi K Palaniswami, former Minister and Perundurai MLA, Thoppu N. D. Venkatachalam however, expressed anguish on Monday over the Government’s stand on AIIMS and a few other vital projects pertaining to his constituency.
“There will be no threat to the State Government due to me or other former ministers who are all only keen on getting pending projects in their respective constituencies implemented promptly,” he said addressing a meeting of party workers.
Kodiveri scheme
Mr. Venkatachalam made it clear that his absence at the recent government function in Erode for launch of new projects by the Chief Minister was due to the non-inclusion of the ₹ 126-crore Kodiveri combined drinking water scheme announced by former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa during 2015 in the Assembly under rule 110 for mitigation of drinking water shortage for eight town panchayats and 78 village panchayats in Perundurai constituency.
Mr. Venkatachalam said his groundwork in the run-up to the election was the reason for the party’s success in the entire Kongunadu region, and that the AIADMK government ought to fulfil the desire of the late Chief Minister to have the AIIMS established in Perundurai, in consideration of its advantages location.
Responsive action
There has to be responsive action for the long-pending demands for overbridges across the Salem-Cochin National Highway and the Athikadavu-Avinashi scheme as well, Mr. Venkatachalam said. “At no point of time did I place any demand for ministership or party position. I would strive to keep the party together irrespective of whether OPS (O. Paneerselvam) or EPS is at the helm,” Mr. Venkatachalam said.
