Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Friday accused Opposition leader and DMK president M.K. Stalin of lying about the modality of conducting local body elections in Tamil Nadu.
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“Till 1996, local body polls were held only ward wise. In 1996, when the DMK came to power, they introduced direct polls [for the posts of Mayor & Chairperson]. Again in 2006, Stalin was the Local Administration Minster when they cancelled direct polls and went in for selecting Mayors and Chairpersons through the elected ward members,” he said, while inaugurating the State’s 37th district, Chengalpattu.
Mr. Palaniswami said Mr Stalin had, in 2006, introduced the Bill for indirect polls in the Assembly and argued it was the best way for selecting leaders of local bodies. “We have now announced ward-wise polls. How could something be wrong if we introduce it and be right when you do the same,” he asked.
The Chief Minister alleged that Mr. Stalin was afraid of losing the polls. “He [Stalin] asked us whether we have the guts, nerve and courage to fight the local body polls. I am telling you now, we have all these. We are ready whenever the State Election Commission (SEC) announces the polls,” Mr Palaniswami said.
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He also claimed that the DMK was trying to find excuses to not face the polls. That’s why they have gone to the Supreme Court, he said.
Responding to Mr. Stalin’s allegation that delimitation of panchayats was not done for the five newly formed districts, he said there was no connection between the two. “We issued a government order in 2018. If they had any doubt, they could have gone to Court at that time itself. The delimitation exercise has been done properly. The SEC has done the work properly and it will announce the dates soon,” the Chief Minister said.