TIRUNELVELI/KANNIYAKUMARI: AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Sunday accused Chief Minister MK Stalin of copying several of its poll promises and including them in DMK’s manifesto. While campaigning for the NDA candidates in Tirunelveli, Palaniswami alleged that the `8,000 coupon announcement by the DMK is intended to collect commission from companies supplying domestic appliances like washing machines, TVs and mixies.
“As one of our promises, I had announced that women in the state would receive a one-time grant of Rs 10,000 in their bank accounts. Stalin copied it. If elected, during implementation of the coupon scheme, DMK members would issue tokens. People will be forced to buy appliances from specific companies for kickbacks,” he alleged.
Palaniswami further alleged that Stalin also copied his promises of `2,000 monthly financial aid to women, `12,000 assistance to fishermen, and an increase in the minimum support price for paddy and sugarcane. “In fact, we had announced `2,000 assistance to women in our 2021 poll manifesto itself,” he elaborated.
Stating that the DMK government had not implemented even one-fourth of the 525 promises it made in 2021, Palaniswami asked how the people of Tamil Nadu would trust Stalin.
“The DMK government did not reduce the diesel price, supply additional sugar in ration shops, implement the Old Pension Scheme, provide employment opportunities in the private sector, or fill 5.5 lakh government vacancies as promised in 2021. Now, he (CM) has made more than 500 fresh promises. Whatever Stalin speaks is a lie,” he alleged.
The leader of opposition promised to initiate legal action against mayors of various corporations who allegedly swindled taxpayers’ money and mineral smugglers in Tirunelveli and Tenkasi districts.
Stating that drug use has increased in TN, he alleged that the youths who hacked two persons to death in Nanguneri Perumpathu village were under the influence of alcohol. Later campaigning for AIADMK candidates in Kanniyakumari, Palaniswami claimed Stalin has been dreaming about making his son Udhayanidhi Stalin CM, but his plans will never be more than a pipe dream.
When Palaniswami was bounding for Aralvaimozhi to Nagercoil, election department officials stopped his vehicle and checked it for a while near Appta market. As expected, the AIADMK cadre, upset about allotting five seats to alliance parties, did not stage any protest.