PUDUKOTTAI: AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on July 25 launched a State-wide campaign in Pudukkottai urging people to assess and rate the DMK government’s performance, accusing it of making exaggerated claims on fulfilling electoral promises.
He announced that pamphlets listing key unfulfilled promises would be distributed door-to-door, and people would be asked to mark the government’s performance out of 10.
Addressing media persons in Pudukkottai, EPS said, "The DMK claims to have fulfilled 99% of its poll promises, but that is far from the truth. Let the people judge. We are taking this to every household."
EPS said that the initiative follows the outreach campaign that began in Mettupalayam, in which he visited over 46 constituencies and interacted with over 15 lakh people.
When asked whether he had sought an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the latter’s confirmed upcoming visit to Tamil Nadu, EPS said the AIADMK would seek time based on the PM’s schedule.
On being asked if he would raise the issue of unreleased education funds from the Union government, he did not respond directly.
EPS also criticised the discontinuation of the free laptop scheme for students, calling it misleading. He clarified that the AIADMK had never scrapped the scheme but just faced delay during the COVID-19 lockdown due to tender-related hurdles.
"It was the DMK that chose not to continue the scheme after taking office," he said.
Aiming for the DMK’s handling of law and order, EPS said the State had become increasingly unsafe for women and the elderly, citing a spate of violent crimes, including those in Gummidipoondi.
"Criminals have lost fear, and the government is turning a blind eye, it is only blaming me for spreading false news," he said.
Citing media reports, he also alleged that a hospital owned by a DMK MLA was linked to a kidney racket, and criticised the ruling party for not implementing the Rs 700 crore Cauvery-Vaigai-Gundaru irrigation project initiated during the AIADMK’s tenure.
On being asked about TTV Dhinakaran’s recent claim of being in the NDA and hoping to be a part of a coalition government in future , EPS said, "I cannot speak for someone else’s alliance claims."
Later in the day, as part of the campaign highlighting over 400 poll promises made by the DMK, a public discussion was held under the leadership of AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami and former Health Minister C Vijayabaskar.
Participants included college students, media professionals, and representatives from various sectors, who shared their insights on whether the DMK had fulfilled any of its key promises.
Another feature of the event was the distribution of scratch cards listing prominent unfulfilled promises of the DMK government such as getting excemption from NEET, reintroduction of the old pension scheme, reduction in petrol and diesel prices by Rs.5 and Rs.4 respectively, and the creation of five lakh jobs for youngsters.
Participants were invited to scratch the cards, read out the unmet promises aloud, and share their views on the mic, turning the session into an interactive critique of the DMK’s governance record.
Referring to DMK's 'Oraniyil Tamil Nadu' campaign EPS said that the ruling party had lost the trust of both the people and its own cadre --a situation not arised since the days of Arignar Anna.
