CHENNAI: Days after attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not giving audience to him in his capacity as Leader of Opposition to take up issues of Tamil Nadu farmers, MK Stalin on Thursday accused Modi of holding ‘khap panchayat’ by engineering rift in AIADMK.
Talking to reporters after inspecting desilting works in temple tanks in Sholinganallur Assembly constituency near here by his partymen, he said, “They (OPS and EPS) are meeting him for political reasons. To split AIADMK and now to merge both factions, Prime Minister Modi is doing these things commendably well like ‘katta panchayat’.”
The Income Tax (IT) department had found evidence showing Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami’s name mentioned in the top of a chart over money distribution (in RK Nagar segment) while former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam was very close to sand mining baron Shekar Reddy. Yet, these two were given audience by Prime Minister but he was not finding time to spare for farmers, Stalin rued.
Stalin talking out of despair: Thambidurai
Stalin’s comments attracted sharp reaction from AIADMK-Amma leaders. Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha M Thambidurai said Stalin was talking out of despair as he was dreaming to capture the Chief Minister’s post.
“He looks frustrated as he has been dreaming to become Chief Minister for long. Being the Leader of Opposition, he is expected to speak in such a manner,” he said.
Tamil Nadu Finance Minister D Jayakumar dismissed Stalin’s charges saying there was not an iota of truth in them.
“There is not even a tinge of truth in his allegations,” the minister said.
He also said ‘katta panchayat’ and land grab incidents thrived only during the earlier DMK rule in the State.