TIRUPPUR: AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday alleged that the present government has failed to control the rise in prices and criticised the CM over the alleged expenditure involved in opening the Mettur dam for water release.
Campaigning for AIADMK candidate K Banumathi for the Dharapuram bye-election, Palaniswami termed the bypoll a “forced election”, saying that Sathyabama, who had won the Assembly election on an AIADMK ticket, subsequently resigned and joined the TVK.
He urged the voters to deliver a verdict against her. Referring to TVK president and Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s campaign in Dharapuram on September 30, EPS questioned the justification for fielding the former AIADMK MLA as a candidate after she had resigned.
“The people of Dharapuram should deliver a verdict against the traitor,” he said, in an apparent allusion to TVK candidate Sathyabama.
Stating that Sathyabama had won the previous election by a margin of 16,000 votes with the efforts of AIADMK functionaries and cadre, EPS alleged that she had failed to respect the voters and party workers who had supported her.
Turning to the current administration, Palaniswami alleged that the law and order situation has deteriorated, citing issues such as drug sales, murders, robberies, sexual offences, and chain-snatching
He also alleged that frequent power cuts were occurring and said the AIADMK government had planned power procurement based on monthly demand to ensure uninterrupted supply.
Palaniswami appealed to the electorate in Dharapuram to vote for the AIADMK candidate. He also participated in a roadshow in Dharapuram.