CHENNAI: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday accused Rahul Gandhi of double standards over the Cauvery issue and wondered whether DMK president Stalin was acting hand in glove with Congress to make State a desert.
Campaigning at Mechery and Mettur under Dharmapuri parliamentary constituency, where Anbumani Ramadoss is contesting, he referred to the promise made by Rahul Gandhi while campaigning in Karnataka that a dam will be built at Mekedatu if Congress came to power. “However, on Friday, while campaigning in Krishnagiri, he is worried about the welfare of farmers. Did not he know that building a dam at Mekedatu will affect interests of farmers in Tamil Nadu,” the CM asked.
Describing the DMK-Congress alliance ‘opportunistic one’, the CM pointed out that in Kerala, Congress was contesting against Communists and in Tamil Nadu, Congress was canvassing votes for Communists. “How can such unprincipled parties provide a stable government,” he asked.
Referring to the harsh remarks being used against him by Stalin during campaigning, the CM said “I hail from a village and thanks to my hard work I am hale and healthy. I can withstand any such attack. But, I don’t know whether Stalin has that kind of strength.”
Referring to local issues, Palaniswami said Nangavalli-Mechery Combined Drinking Water Scheme had been implemented. He said once work on overhead tanks was over all places in the area would get water without trouble. Besides, investigation was being made on diverting surplus water from Cauvery to canals, lakes and ponds and so far 45 per cent of feasibility study had been completed.
Stating that tomato was being grown in a large quantity here, a cold storage facility would be set up at a cost of Rs 8.80 crore. A frozen semen station will be set up at Pottaneri for goats and an integrated livestock park-cum-research centre will come up near Kallakurichi in 900 acres, he concluded.