Leader of the Opposition in State Assembly and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam treasurer M.K. Stalin on Sunday claimed that the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led State government has been non-functional ever since it came to power in May this year.
Addressing party cadres during a campaign meeting for the Thiruparankundram by-election here, he claimed that the people of Tamil Nadu had begun to doubt whether the ruling party was the AIADMK or the DMK since the latter was at the forefront in fighting for all important issues. “The DMK has not been fatigued by the loss in the last Assembly election. You all know who is fatigued and taking rest,” he said to loud cheers from the cadres. Mr. Stalin claimed that he was not referring to any individual but the AIADMK government in general. “I have been telling this even during their previous tenure,” he added.
Mr. Stalin also came down heavily on the Bharatiya Janata Party for its criticism of DMK’s legitimacy and locus-standi in convening an all-party meeting on the Cauvery water issue. “The BJP has no right to speak about the issue since their government at the Centre refused to constitute Cauvery Management Board... by questioning Supreme Court’s order to do so. Why did they not do the same on the jallikattu issue?,” he asked. The DMK leader contended that his party had convened the all-party meeting only after his formal request to Finance Minister O. Paneerselvam, presently handling all the portfolios of Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, to convene the meeting failed to evoke any response from the government.
Mr. Stalin said the elections in three constituencies would mark a turning point as the DMK would emerge as victorious in all the three constituencies. Urging the cadres to work for the victory of party candidate for Thiruparankundram P. Saravanan, Mr. Stalin said he was happy to begin the by-election campaign from Thiruparankundram due to its significance as first of the six abodes of Lord Muruga.
