DINDIGUL/THENI: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said that Stalin was aspiring to become the chief minister and his only qualification was that “he is the son of DMK leader Karunanidhi. But I became CM due to my hard work.”He was campaigning for AIADMK’s Nilakottai by-election candidate S Thenmozhi and Dindigul Lok Sabha candidate K Jothimuthu at Batlagundu in Dindigul here on Friday.
He said, “Both Stalin and I had been members of the assembly. I was a farmer and rose to my present position through my hard work. However, DMK president Stalin is dreaming to achieve the post with the only qualification that he is late DMK leader Karunanidhi’s son.”He said that in AIADMK, the cadre and the people were the leaders and the party worked only for the welfare of the people. “But DMK only focusses on preventing welfare schemes from reaching people,” he said.
Criticising DMK’s manifesto, Palaniswami said the DMK leader had not even realised that its a Lok Sabha poll and released a manifesto that is fit only for assembly election. The CM alleged that Stalin was busy conducting ‘Kangaroo courts’ for his party members as they often engage in quarrels in hotels. In Theni district, the CM said that Nobel prize for telling lies should be bestowed on DMK president MK Stalin as he was creating confusion among the people.
During his campaign for AIADMK candidates for Theni parliamentary constituency P Ravindranath Kumar and for Andipatti Assembly constituency Logirajan, the CM addressed people at Andipatti, Kanavilakku, Kandamanur and Chinnamanur. “DMK had assured the people that they would give land free of cost to poor farmers, but they failed to honour their promise. They are creating confusion among the innocent people and spreading lies,” he said.
He asserted that since the AIADMK government was in power in the State, it could fulfil the demands of the people. Palaniswami urged the people to teach the opposition group a lesson. “The State is facing by-election due to the betrayal of some persons,” he said and termed the Congress candidate EVKS Elangovan as an “imported candidate”, who could do nothing for the welfare of the people. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was able enough to safeguard the people and “He should be elected for the safety of the country”.
Palaniswami said his government would take steps to increase the water level in Mullaipperiyar dam to 152 feet. As suggested by a committee comprising retired engineers, steps would be taken to divert water by erecting check dams to benefit the farmers and the public.
“As many as 3,000 tanks and ooranis were desilted in different parts of the State so far to enhance the water capacity. The government will take steps to supply water from Kullappakoundanpatti to 152 villages after laying pipelines. The government has decided to establish a primary health centre in Kanniyappapillaipatti and adequate steps will be taken to give patta for the residents of Valiparai near Varusanadu,” he said.