CHENNAI: PWD minister and TVK general secretary (election campaign management) Aadhav Arjuna on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on the DMK and AIADMK, claiming the contest between the two parties has now been reduced to a fight for the second position.
Campaigning in Madurantakam, Arjuna alleged both the DMK and AIADMK were involved in distributing money to the voters. He further alleged the DMK would offer Rs 5,000 per vote during the Deepavali season. “Take the money, buy clothes for the festival, and vote for the whistle symbol,” he told voters, adding TVK will not give money to the voters.
“DMK collected boxes for five years. Today, they themselves are going around with the box,” he said, referring to the campaign of DMK candidate I Paranthamen, holding a suitcase, alleging the AIADMK MLA was “bought” by the TVK party. He also alleged corruption under the previous government involved a “chain” extending from the chief minister’s family to ministers, personal assistants and relatives.
Arjuna alleged the DMK had started “trembling” only after TVK leader and Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay entered electoral politics. He also claimed the Two Leaves symbol associated with the AIADMK is “finished” and that the legacy of former chief ministers MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa now lives in TVK’s whistle symbol.
He claimed Vijay could have chosen to align with the AIADMK, secured ministerial berths for its leaders and become chief minister, but instead, he opted to ally with the VCK and Left parties.