VILLUPURAM/CUDDALORE/TIRUVANNAMALAI : Chief Minister and AIADMK joint coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday campaigned in Villupuram, Cuddalore and Tiruvannamalai districts to seek votes for the AIADMK alliance in the Lok Sabha polls on April 18. Palaniswami campaigned at Tindivanam, Villuppuram, Vikaravandi and Koliyanur in Villupuram district to seek votes for alliance partner PMK’s candidate Vadivel Ravanan.
“DMK always engages in family politics while AIADMK truly works for the welfare of people. The Congress – DMK alliance is a clear example of how the latter switches over its ideologies during elections. They are absolutely opportunistic about alliances as they had once allied with the BJP and criticise the same party as fascist. DMK is nothing but a chameleon,” he said.
Palaniswami also trained guns on Vaiko’s MDMK. “Vaiko is unsure of his party ideology as he keeps shifting his support to various parties. It is better if he goes back to his mother party DMK and contest on their symbol rather than staying with a dead party like MDMK.”
Launching a staunch attack on VCK, the AIADMK alliance’s opponent in Villupuram seat, Palaniswami said that the party contesting on two different symbols in two constituencies exposed its flaws. He made a mention of the ‘2G Spectrum’ case, blaming DMK for “murdering Sadiq Basha”. “AIADMK will repoen Sadiq Basha’s murder case and the true culprits will be brought to book after that.” “It was always the AIADMK led by our revered late chief minister and party chief Amma, that had served the poor and needy in Tamil Nadu. It was during her tenure that many women-welfare schemes were introduced. A grand food park of 1,000 acres is being constructed in Viluppuram for the welfare of farmers in the district.”
Palaniswami promised that the pongal subsidy of Rs 2,000 that is stopped temporarily, will be revived after the election and will be distributed to all, as announced.
Flays DMK’s comments
Earlier in the day, Palaniswami toured Cuddalore parliamentary constituency to campaign for PMK candidate R Govindasamy. Addressing the public in Manjakuppam, Palaniswami said Narendra Modi was the only person capable of leading the country on a safe and prosperous path.
“At present, there is no person other than Narendra Modi who is capable to be the Prime Minister. He has proved this through an able administration in the last five years, especially during tough times.”
“DMK has been alleging that women are vulnerable to crimes in the State. In 1990, Amma (Jayalalithaa) was humiliated and harassed in the presence of M Karunanidhi, and this is how the party (DMK) deals with women. Many of Amma’s initiative for the public are still being executed. She had a vision for the people of Tamil Nadu and we are following that,” Palaniswami said.
‘Mortality rate came down’
Touring Tiruvannamalai constituency, Palaniswami said construction of check dams is underway to save rain water and the project will be completed in three years with a fund allocation of `1,000 crore. Seeking votes for AIADMK candidate ‘Agri’ S S Krishnamoorthy, who is fielded from Tiruvannamalai, Palaniswami claimed that the mortality rates of pregnant women and newborn children had reduced as a result of precautionary steps taken by the Tamil Nadu Health Department, adding that the AIADMK government had been taking all necessary steps for the well-being of pregnant women and children.