SALEM: Chief Minister Edapaddi K Palaniswami said that AIADMK was prepared to face local body elections. “As soon as the State Election Commission announces the date, we will start the work,” he said here on Saturday.
Commenting on Opposition parties’ remark that ‘unnecessary bridges’ were built in Salem, he asked them to point out which ones were unnecessary. “The government constructed bridges only based on people’s decision and not on it’s own,” he said.
Taking a dig at DMK, he said that during its tenure, it had started Anandha bridge construction without proper land acquisition and without compensating landowners, but AIADMK completed the works by compensating landowners.
He also denied Salem MP SR Parthiban’s allegations that the Green Express Corridor was being laid by taking commission. “The project is undertaken by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and as west zone districts are industrial areas, the Central government has come forward to take up the project. Moreover, we have lost several lives in various accidents in this area. So, to solve all the problems, GEC is a must,” he said.
Refusing to comment on Rajan Chellappa’s remarks, the chief minister denied that there was any internal feud in the party. When asked whether dual leadership was the reason for AIADMK’s defeat in Lok Sabha election, he said that it was just the version of the media.
“The newly-elected MPs did not visit Jayalalithaa’s memorial as some construction works were going on at the site,” he added.
The chief minister inaugurated an overbridge, built at a cost of `1.90 crore on Sarabanga river in Edappadi Aavani Perur Keelmugam panchayat.
Talking to media, Palaniswami said, “As announced in our election manifesto, we have completed the construction of the overbridge. Earlier, people from Kavundampatti had to walk at least one-and-a-half kilometres to reach nearby hospital or school, but now it is not the case. Many have welcomed the flyover construction. It is the Opposition parties, including the DMK, who are criticising it.”
