TIRUCHY: Calling rivals in Tiruchy East the BJP’s “B team,” Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Saturday mounted an indirect attack on TVK leader Vijay while campaigning for DMK candidate Inigo S Irudayaraj. “No matter how many stars come, the Rising Sun will win,” Udhayanidhi said.
Addressing a gathering, he urged voters to “prove that Tiruchy East is a thinking constituency and not a foolish one”. He alleged that “Delhi-backed forces” were trying to make inroads into Tamil Nadu. Without naming Vijay or his party, Udhayanidhi said the challenger in the constituency functioned as the BJP’s “B team”, while reiterating that AIADMK remained the saffron party’s “A team”.
Udhayanidhi said the seat had turned into a “star constituency”, but credited Irudayaraj for it. Drawing a contrast in campaign styles, he said the DMK candidate had been continuously meeting people, “unlike some who take break after break and get tired just by resting.”
He added that DMK cadre remained on the ground even during the Covid-19 pandemic, while others stayed “confined to their homes.” Udhayanidhi said Irudayaraj is an accessible leader and will reach out to voters at their doorstep and remain rooted in the constituency. “He is not someone who keeps one leg here and the other elsewhere. He stands firmly here,” Udhayanidhi said.
Taking a dig at Vijay, he likened such candidates to “Taj Mahal cardboard cut-outs put up during festivals” that would not last beyond the event. “Once elections are over, they will disappear,” Udhayanidhi said, adding that no force could weaken the DMK.
Referring to the constituency’s sizeable Christian population, he said the DMK had consistently supported minority welfare. It had adopted a resolution seeking reservation for Dalit Christians. Udhayanidhi accused the BJP of opposing the demand and alleged that Christian institutions were facing increased scrutiny under FCRA provisions. He also claimed that attempts were being made to take over their properties on “false grounds”, and added that Chief Minister MK Stalin had opposed such measures.
Earlier, campaigning in Tiruchy West, Udhayanidhi sought votes for minister KN Nehru and expressed confidence that the DMK-led alliance would win all 41 constituencies in the delta region.