The forthcoming Lok Sabha election is an opportunity to save India, and also Tamil Nadu, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president M.K. Stalin said while speaking in Gudiyatham on Monday.
He visited Sevur panchayat constituency for a panchayat sabha meeting organised by the party. During the meeting, he listened and made note of their grievances aired by them. He was accompanied by senior DMK leader and Katpadi MLA Duraimurugan.
Centre’s protection
Mr. Stalin expressed doubts whether the present AIADMK government would last and noted that it was the Centre that was protecting it.
He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his latest visit to Tamil Nadu on Sunday, made false promises. “I have come in search of a temple. As Mahatma Gandhi often said, villages are temples,” Mr. Stalin said.
He said that parties do not get the opportunity to visit all villages during the Lok Sabha or Assembly elections. “Campaigns are mostly conducted in cities. So, we have come to meet you ahead of the polls,” he said.
He pointed out that former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi was always with the people. Being Opposition party MLAs, he pointed out that he and other DMK MLAs visited their constituencies regularly.
Disqualified MLAs
He noted that there was no MLA for Gudiyatham constituency for a year. The MLA was disqualified due to infighting after the death of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.
“There is no MLA to represent the constituency or its needs in the Assembly. Soon, the Lok Sabha elections will be announced. There is a possibility that elections for the 21 vacant Assembly seats including Gudiyatham will be held along with these polls,” he noted.
Mr. Stalin said the State did not take any measures to conduct the local body polls. Panchayats such as Sevur needed elected representatives to look into their basic needs such as roads, water supply and transportation.
R. Girija, a villager, told the party leader that many of them were daily wage labourers but the village had no bus facilities.
Villagers also complained of the mosquito menace and the lack of drinking water supply. Mr. Stalin later met party workers in Ulli near Madhanur. Ranipet MLA R. Gandhi and Anaicut MLA A.P. Nandhakumar accompanied the leader.
