Taking a dig at DMK president M.K. Stalin for ‘having remained unapproachable for the public when he was in power’, Chief Minister and AIADMK co-coordinator Edappadi K. Palaniswami said the government of Jayalalithaa was coming closer to the people by putting in place a dependable grievance redressal system.
He was electioneering at Valliyoor on the second day of his campaign in southern districts.
“After launching Chief Minster’s Special Grievances Redressal Meets in all districts, the latest initiative has been introduced to enable the people to submit their petitions through their mobile phones even when they are in their homes. We never cheat the people under the pretext of receiving petitions only during election,” Mr. Palaniswami said.
The Chief Minister said the DMK, which was being administered like a ‘corporate firm’ was not allowing its senior leaders for higher positions and even for electioneering and considered only the members of the ‘first family’ for coveted party posts.
“This is purely out of fear that anyone rivalling him or his son Udhayanidhi may pose a threat to their very existence in the DMK, and, hence, the head and all the ‘Board of Directors’ of the party are from his family.”
He also came down heavily on Mr. Udhayanidhi during the campaign. “My political experience is his age…He is criticising the Tamil Nadu government, by spreading lies like his father [Mr. Stalin] in a bid to divert the people’s attention for the sake of fetching votes. However, they will not succeed as the people have fully understood the malicious campaign of the father–son duo.”
He cautioned the people that the DMK, which had usurped thousands of acres of lands of the voiceless through coercion when the party was in power, should not get another chance as it would unleash violence everywhere, especially against the women.
“You could have seen the videos showing DMK men brutally attacking a woman of a beauty parlour. Those who snatched away your lands and posed threats to you are spreading lies to come to power again, which should not happen. People should compare the governance of the DMK and the AIADMK before casting their votes,” Mr. Palaniswami said while addressing the women at Kalakkad.
When he listed his government’s schemes for women’s welfare such as marriage assistance, two-wheeler scheme and Siddha formulation gift hampers for pregnant women and the gift hamper for newborns, the crowd received it with wild cheer. The freebies given to students and 7.50% reservation for government school students in medical college admission also elicited good response from the women.
