In an apparent show of strength and unity in a district which raised the first banner of revolt against the now-sidelined V.K. Sasikala and her clan under former MLA K.P. Munusamy, 30 Ministers lined up alongside Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami to mark the MGR Centenary celebrations here on Saturday.
Addressing party cadre, who have been increasingly concerned over intra-party ramblings, Mr. Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam focused their political attacks on the DMK and the ‘conspiracies of the opposition’.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister listed schemes to “rebut opposition claims that the government was dysfunctional.” According to Mr. Palaniswami, the late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s blueprint for the district and the State was being implemented under his government.
“Look at the DMK, [where] dynastic politics can be seen even at the district level. This is not seen in the AIADMK,” Mr. Palaniswami said.
“The government is alert and is functioning with the same courage which was seen under Jayalalithaa’s rule,” he added.
Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam hit out at the “amorphous opposition”, which, according to him, had “conspired to topple the government through a dangerous alliance of lies, deceit and betrayal.”
“The opposition has consistently raised artificial issues and whipped up protests to topple the government. But none of this will work, and the AIADMK’s rule will last longer,” Mr. Panneerselvam said.
Referring to VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan’s State Autonomy Meet held in August, he questioned the DMK’s place and the rationale behind its participation in the event. “I don’t question Thiruma [the VCK leader] organising the meet. But I question the participation of Stalin in the meet, calling for State autonomy,” he said. Stating that the DMK had been in alliance with the Congress government at the Centre for 17 years, he said it was ‘laughable’ that the party was now talking about State autonomy.
“Our government did not burn down three journalists; our government did not grab land,” Mr. Panneerselvam said, adding that it was only under the AIADMK government that the rights of the State were legally asserted with regard to the Cauvery and the Mullaiperiyar issues. “On the contrary, the DMK bartered away our rights over Katchatheevu and Mullaiperiyar,” he alleged.
