Exuding confidence of extending the AIADMK’s winning streak from the recent bypoll to the ensuing civic polls and then to the next Assembly elections, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami has said his party would sweep the 2021 polls and an AIADMK leader alone would be the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu even after the next Assembly polls.
“Actor Rajinikanth, who is yet to start a political party, might have prophesied about our victory alone as a miracle in store for 2021,” Mr. Palaniswami told reporters at the airport on Thursday evening.
He said the AIADMK, which was implementing people-friendly programmes and projects like ‘kudimaramathu’, would win the local body elections, along with its electoral allies, in a big way, and it would rule the State even after 2021 as the party would register a resounding victory in the next Assembly election too.
When asked about the AIADMK’s Chief Ministerial candidate for the 2021 polls, he said a leader from the AIADMK alone would become the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu even after the next Assembly polls, as the party’s remarkable winning streak would continue.
On DMK’s criticism
On criticism by DMK president M.K. Stalin on the proposed indirect elections to posts of Mayor and the chairman of municipalities and town panchayats, Mr. Palaniswami recalled that the system was actually re-introduced by the DMK in the Assembly on June 31, 2006, when he was the Minister for Local Administration.
“He, (Mr. Stalin), while referring to the indirect elections of Mayors and chairman of other urban civic bodies in the States of Assam and Gujarat, had justified the proposal while moving it in the Assembly. After following the indirect election till 1996, the system was changed only by the then Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi in 1996, and it was reverted to the older system also by the DMK. So, if something is done by Mr. Stalin, the DMK would welcome it and they would oppose the very same thing if done by the AIADMK,” Mr. Palaniswami said.
He hoped that the State Election Commission, as per the affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, would soon announce the civic poll dates.
On the formation of Tenkasi district, which would formally be inaugurated by him on Friday, Mr. Palaniswami said the government, by creating the new district, had fulfilled the 32-year-old demand of people in the western parts of Tirunelveli.
Fresh applications
In view of the State government’s decision to conduct indirect elections for posts of Mayor and chairperson in urban local bodies, the AIADMK has invited its party personnel (who have submitted applications for the top posts and equivalent posts in rural local bodies) to apply afresh for Ward Member (Councillor) posts in these bodies.
Aspirants can reach out to party functionaries designated earlier, to receive applications on November 22, and submit their applications with the required fee, a party release stated.
Those who had applied earlier for Mayor, chairman and other posts in urban and rural local bodies, can get their application fee reimbursed between November 25 and 29, after the party’s general council meeting. Payments made would be returned in person at the party head office in Chennai, on producing the original receipt, the statement said.
