If Tamil Nadu were to be re-railed on the path of development, it should be liberated from corrupt political parties, said Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah while addressing a series of election meetings in south Tamil Nadu on Wednesday.
He said that both the Congress and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam were “partners in corruption”, and the AIADMK faced several corruption charges. Added to this, the Jayalalithaa government obstructed execution of Centre-funded development and welfare schemes in the State in the last two years.
“Development of Tamil Nadu is not in the hands of the Congress, DMK or the AIADMK. It is solely in the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said in Madurai. Ms. Jayalalithaa, he said, scuttled the implementation of Central welfare schemes like accident and crop insurance, UDAI and Mudra Bank and prevented the benefits from reaching people. He accused the Congress-led UPA government of indulging in scams involving all five elements, with the “2G scam” topping it all. In the last two years, nobody, even political opponents, had pointed an accusing finger at the Modi government, he said.
Speakers at the meeting did not make any reference to their erstwhile partners in the State or the Third Front.
In Tenkasi, Mr. Amit Shah said that the BJP was keen on providing a clean administration in Tamil Nadu, which had been ruined by corrupt administration of the DMK and the AIADMK. While taking credit for giving Rs. 5,000 each as relief to the flood victims of Chennai, though the Centre had released Rs. 2,000 crore, Ms. Jayalalitha was obstructing the implementation of Centre-funded welfare and development schemes. He claimed that no Tamil fisherman was killed by Sri Lankan Navy after Mr. Modi became Prime Minister. “At the same time, more than 600 fishermen were killed when UPA government was in power, for which the DMK and the Congress should be held responsible,” he said.
In Nagercoil, Mr. Amit Shah said that leaders of the two major Dravidian parties were facing trial in corruption cases.
Party general secretary P. Muralidhar Rao said that young and first-time voters wanted a change for good governance and development of Tamil Nadu and the stamp of development was only with the BJP. He appealed to the people not to vote for those leaders who “would go to jail tomorrow.”
Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Pon. Radhakrishnan regretted that the two Dravidian parties had not changed their colours even after people gave them so many opportunities to rule.
