KARUR: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami launched a broadside against the DMK’s Aravakurichi bypoll candidate, V Senthil Balaji, while campaigning for AIADMK’s Senthilnathan on Monday. He described the AIADMK as a party that comes to people’s doorsteps to fulfil its election promises.
“Senthil Balaji is the only person in Tamil Nadu who has been in three parties and contested elections for two parties in five years. How can he stay loyal to the people when he can’t stay loyal to a single party? How will a man who betrayed his party which made him everything that he is today do good to his voters? When he won the 2016 election, he didn’t bother to come to thank the people. But our candidate, Senthilnathan, even after losing the 2011 elections, went to the constituency to thank the people who voted for him. You decide who is better,” Palaniswami said at Venjamangudalur.
The chief minister again blamed the by-election on “traitors who plotted to destroy the AIADMK and oust it from power”. “The same traitor has shifted to another party and is the DMK candidate now. Even after becoming a minister, Senthil Balaji didn’t implement any projects either in Karur or in Aravakurichi,” he said.
The AIADMK deputy coordinator sought to remind voters of the corruption charges that DMK president MK Stalin had levelled against Senthil Balaji. “Stalin’s comments about Senthil Balaji were published in their Murasoli paper. When Stalin brought a resolution in 2013 in the assembly, he accused Senthil Balaji, then transport minister, of a `200 crore-scam. After walking out, he told journalists that Balaji, who had been booked in a kidnapping case, need not speak about him. Now, Stalin is canvassing votes for him.”
“Both Stalin and Senthil Balaji say they will provide 3-cent land each to 25,000 homeless people. That is possible only if there are 1,100 acres of land available. Karunanithi had also said the same. But did he provide any land? They are cheating people with fake promises. But the AIADMK is a party that comes to your doorstep and fulfils its promises.”
Palaniswami said a special cold storage unit would be set up for drumstick farmers.
“The Karur government medical college hospital is almost over and will be inaugurated soon. At a cost of `280 crore, 50 panchayats in Paramathi will be supplied with Cauvery water, for which we have already allotted funds in our budget. A new check dam was built on the Kudanganaru river at a cost `7 crore. Check dams will be built in all necessary places. All your demands will be fulfilled” he said.
Taking potshots at the DMK’s “family politics”, Palaniswami said that “Stalin’s path to success was different from ours; we have come to this position through a lot of hard work”.