CHENNAI: In an unusual outreach to young voters believed to be actor Vijay’s biggest support base, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday reminded them that it was his government that granted “all-pass” for school students and provided online facilities for college students during the Covid-19 pandemic. “After tasting the benefits offered by AIADMK, you should not give the reward (votes) to a political novice (Vijay’s TVK),” he said.
Campaigning for the candidates of the AIADMK-led alliance at Jayanagar in Tiruvallur district, Palaniswami said, “When the functioning of schools and colleges was affected during the pandemic, we conducted online exams for college students, enabling them to graduate successfully, and granted all-pass to school students.”
“Reward must go to those who nurtured the plant. Watch films and enjoy them, but leave it at that,” he added. Palaniswami also took a jibe at TVK chief Vijay, saying that when a crisis arose, a leader went missing for 72 days.
Earlier, in Kancheepuram, Palaniswami charged that the purpose of former CM Arignar Anna’s founding the DMK has been destroyed by the dominance of the family of former CM M Karunanidhi. “The party has been reduced to ruins under family dominance,” Palaniswami added.
Taking a swipe at former CM O Panneerselvam, who recently joined the DMK, Palaniswami alleged that in the 2021 elections, there was a favourable situation for us (the AIADMK) to form the government “but in the southern districts, someone (O Panneerselvam) deliberately avoided campaigning and acted as a ‘B team’ for the DMK”.
Responding to Udhayanidhi Stalin’s comment calling him a blind and subservient follower of Narendra Modi, Palaniswami showed the clipping of a newspaper report in which Karunanidhi hailed Modi profusely. “Let Udhayanaidhi Stalin take a look at his grandfather’s good certificate to Modi. Karunanidhi had written much more, and I would speak about it in the coming days,” Palaniswami said.
“They claim the AIADMK is subservient to the BJP and that I act only on the instructions of Amit Shah. They need to exercise restraint in their speech. If they continue, I will also respond in a similar tone,” EPS added.