To continue with MGR rule in Tamil Nadu and to ensure that the DMK’s dynasty remained out of power, the electorate should give a comfortable victory for the AIADMK combine led by Edappadi K Palaniswami, said Union Home Minister Amit Shah, campaigning here on Saturday.
Mr. Shah said Narendra Modi, who had become the Prime Minister after selling tea when he was a boy, and Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, son of a poor farmer, were working overtime for the welfare of poor peasants and the downtrodden while the Congress and its electoral ally DMK in Tamil Nadu were concerned only about their families as these parties were worried about the continuation of their family rule so as to safeguard their prosperity.
“While the Congress is working for its 4G - fourth generation of Rahul Gandhi after Jawaharlal Nehru, Indra Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, the DMK is tirelessly working for providing firm foundation for its 3G - third generation of Udhayanidhi Stalin after M. Karunanidhi and M.K. Stalin.
Mr. Stalin’s only objective was to make his son the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, he charged. Since both the Congress and the BJP are working for the welfare of their families alone, the people of Tamil Nadu should shun these parties and back the BJP -AIADMK combine that works for the uplift of the poor, farmers and the fishermen,” Mr. Shah appealed.
He also came down heavily on a recent speech by Mr. Udhayanidhi on late Union Ministers Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj and DMK MP A. Raja’s distasteful observations about the late mother of Chief Minister. “We, especially the Tamils, never comment about the persons, especially the women, who entered into the glory. Hence, the women of Tamil Nadu should not support the DMK in the Assembly polls as the leaders of this party talk ill of women who are no more,” the Home Minister said.
Mr. Shah said the DMK, by walking out from the Parliament session, did not support Mr. Modi’s move to categorize seven sub-sects of Scheduled Castes as ‘Devendrakula Velalar’ and the DMK – Congress combine was just witnessing the killing of Tamil fishermen on high seas and laid foundation for banning ‘jallikattu’ (taming of the bull). “After Mr. Modi became the Prime Minister, none laid hands on the Tamil fishermen and only the BJP government passed the ordinance to revoke the ban on ‘jallikattu,’” he said.
The Union Minister also sought the Tamil’s support for having allocated ₹63,000 crore for Chennai’s metro rail project expansion.
While the BJP’s candidate for Tirunelveli Nainar Nagenthran and AIADMK’s candidate for Nanguneri Thatchai N. Ganesa Raja shared the dais with Mr. Amit Shah, the AIADMK’s candidates Esakki Subaya of Ambasamudram, K.J.C. Gerald of Palayamkottai and I.S. Inbadurai of Radhapuram stayed away from attending the electioneering of the BJP’s star campaigner.
