Many ‘B teams’ tried
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Saturday alleged that several “B teams” were formed and many tried to “break” the AIADMK by filing cases in court, but all that broke and broke into pieces.
“Many internal problems have arisen in the party and now look where he (Panneerselvam) has gone,” Palaniswami said without naming expelled AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam while canvassing votes in North Chennai for the April 23 assembly elections here. “The real face (of Panneerselvam) has come to light. After the demise of ‘Amma’ (Jayalalitha as her mother is fondly called), many people deliberately tried to take over the movement. But with the help of all of you and party supporters, we stopped and proved that AIADMK is a strong movement,” he said.
He said, “After Amma’s demise (on December 5, 2016), he felt that the party would break. He tried very hard to break this party by forming some B teams. But, with the support of the people and party workers, it all broke and shattered into pieces.”
Emphasizing that the party was started by late Chief Minister MG Ramachandran for the welfare of the poor, Palaniswami said the movement got divided after his demise.
“But Amma (Jayalalitha) united them and fulfilled the dreams of our revolutionary leader (MG Ramachandran),” he said amid thunderous applause from the audience during the party’s “Makkalai Kappom, Thamizhagathai Meetpom” campaign here.
He claimed that AIADMK is the only party to rule Tamil Nadu for 31 years and because of this the state has achieved the top position among other states of India.
Noting that the party follows democracy, he said it is not the case in DMK that no matter how hard one works for the development of the party, he will not get any recognition. The ruling DMK’s aim was only to “loot”, he said, and asked the people if such a party should come to power again. The people replied, “No”.
Palaniswami said it was his government that had approved the Rs 63,000 crore metro rail project in the state.
“This is an achievement of the AIADMK. Has the DMK achieved any such achievement in its five-year rule,” he asked.
Later, while addressing a gathering in Tiruvottiyur, he appealed to the voters to vote for the party’s candidate Kuppan in Tiruvottiyur and ‘Madhavaram’ Murthy for Madhavaram.
Attacking DMK chief MK Stalin over his remarks about the AIADMK-led NDA, Palaniswami said, “A real alliance forms on its own. What we have is a natural alliance. What the DMK has formed together is a slave alliance.” On seat-sharing, he said Stalin “humiliated” longtime old allies by providing more seats to newcomers to the alliance. “This (DMK-led secular progressive alliance) is not an alliance of conviction but of compulsion,” he claimed.
Stating that the AIADMK leads the NDA in Tamil Nadu, he said, “It is the AIADMK that will form the government and I am the chief ministerial candidate. It has been clearly said.” He questioned Stalin whether the BJP was a “bad party” when the DMK had formed an alliance with it in 1999 and 2001.
Criticizing the DMK over corruption, he claimed that the state liquor shops (TASMAC) sell 1.5 crore bottles daily and the Rs 10 per bottle surcharge has led to a scam of Rs 24,000 crore in the last four years. “The Enforcement Directorate has evidence. Legal action will be taken when AIADMK forms the government,” he said.
Palaniswami also criticized the DMK over the law and order situation in Tamil Nadu and alleged that no family feels safe in the state.
Listing some of the initiatives to be taken by his party after winning the assembly elections, Palaniswami said the AIADMK will provide an assistance of Rs 25 lakh to the families of fishermen who lost their lives at sea, construct free houses for fishing families and increase the compensation given during the fishing ban from Rs 8,000 to Rs 12,000.
He reiterated that the AIADMK government will provide monthly assistance of Rs 2,000 to women heads of families, special relief of Rs 10,000, free bus travel for men, refrigerators for ration card holders, subsidy for auto drivers.
