NAGERCOIL/TIRUNELVELI: DMK President MK Stalin said that if his party comes to power he will not allow implemention of the proposed transshipment port near Kanniyakumari. Claiming that the district is the stronghold of DMK and its allies, Stalin listed out the projects implemented by the earlier DMK government, especially for the fishermen.
Campaigning in the district, Stalin said that he would establish Ayya Vaikundar Swamy Research Centre in the district, establish a cancer centre at Kannikayakumari Government Medical College Hospital, construct a fishing harbour in Vanniyakudi, modernise Kulasekaram Government Hospital, establish a special economic zone and IT park in the district.
He also promised that Rs 4,000 would be given to those people whose livelihoods have been affected by coronavirus infection on June 3, the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi. While campaining for Padmanabhapuram Assembly constituency candidate T Mano Thangaraj, Congress candidates - S Vijayadharani (Vilavancode), JG Prince (Colachel), S Rajesh Kumar (Killiyoor) and Kanniyakumari Lok Sabha byelection candidate Vijay Vasanth, he accused AIADMK of acting like a branch unit (Kizhai Kazhagam) of BJP.
“Tamil Nadu has Dravidian soil. BJP cannot enter it,” he said. Meanwhile, campaigning for Congress candidates in Pettai, MK Stalin assured that cases registered against activist Udayakumar and other youngsters in Kudankulam would be withdrawn once DMK forms the government. He said that Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami had closed many cases, but did not take any steps to close those against activists Udayakumar, Mugilan, Pushparayan and other youngsters who took part in the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant protest.