CHENNAI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday kicked off the NDA’s campaign for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections at Maduranthakam, urging voters to opt for a “double engine government” and asserting that coordination between the state and the Centre was essential to attract investments and accelerate development.
“Bharat is becoming a destination for investors and is signing big deals. At this time, it is essential to have an NDA double engine government — one that is cordial with the Central government. Only then will it become easier for investments to reach the state,” Modi said.
Even as AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami has been stressing that his party will win majority on its own and there won’t be any need to share power with allies in the government, Modi repeatedly referred to the prospect of an “NDA government” or “NDA-BJP government” assuming power in the state after the polls during his speech at the event.
The rally effectively pushed Tamil Nadu into election mode, with senior NDA leaders sharing the stage and projecting unity ahead of the polls. Among them was T T V Dhinakaran, leader of Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, who shook hands with Palaniswami, indicating that their focus now was to unseat the ruling DMK from power.
Addressing the gathering, Dhinakaran said he had joined the NDA without hesitation. “We want to remove corrupt family rule and restore the governance ideals of Puratchi Thalaivar MGR and Amma. AMMK cadres will work for NDA’s victory,” he assured Modi and Palaniswami who were on the stage. Edappadi K Palaniswami also addressed Dhinakaran as “brother” during his speech.
Stating that the countdown to “send the DMK government home” had begun, Prime Minister Modi said senior NDA leaders had gathered with that single resolve.
DMK govt’s countdown in TN has started, says PM
The PM alleged that despite being given a clear mandate twice, the DMK had betrayed the people of TN by making tall promises but failing to deliver on them. Mocking the ruling party, Modi said people were now referring to the DMK as a “CMC (Corruption, Mafia and Crime government),” accusing it of functioning for the benefit of a single family.
Launching a sharp attack on DMK, Modi accused the DMK of pushing women and youth —whom he described as vital to TN’s development —into the grip of the drug mafia. “A vote to the NDA is a vote to create a drug-free TN,” he said.
Highlighting the union government’s support to the state, he said that after the BJP-led NDA assumed power at the centre, TN had received Rs 3 lakh crore through financial devolution alone, three times higher than during the DMK-Congress period. He further promised that an NDA government would transform the state’s healthcare system and strengthen the medical equipment manufacturing ecosystem to generate employment.
Referring to welfare schemes, Modi said the NDA had already built over 60 lakh toilets and provided piped drinking water connections to one crore households. He gave what he described as “Modi’s assurance” that all houses in the state would receive piped water supply if the NDA is voted to power.
On the Thirupparankundram deepam issue, Modi said BJP leaders had stood up for the rights of devotees, while accusing the DMK and its allies of insulting the HC to protect their vote-bank. “They are against TN’s culture,” he said, recalling that jallikattu was banned during earlier DMK-Congress regimes.
Edappadi K Palaniswami rejected the DMK’s allegation that the centre has denied funds to TN, stating that centre cleared all funds and projects sought by the state when the AIADMK was in power. He accused the TN government of stalling the ‘Nadanthai Vaazhi Cauvery’ scheme, a Rs 14,000-crore river restoration project, even after the centre had approved the funds. Palaniswami concluded his speech by saying, “Bye bye, Stalin.”
BJP TN chief Nainar Nagenthran, PMK president Dr Anbumani Ramadoss, TMC president GK Vasan, Puthiya Needhi Katchi chief AC Shanmugam, Tamizhaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam president John Pandian and Puratchi Bharatham Katchi president MLA Jagan Moorthy were also present.