RANIPET/CHENNAI: DMK president and Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday said that if late CM and AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa were alive, she would have spoken against the delimitation exercise being planned by the BJP-led union government.
He made the remarks while reiterating his criticism that the AIADMK general secretary and leader of opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami is subservient to the BJP. He pointed out that Jayalalithaa was critical of GST and NEET.
Stalin was addressing a campaign rally for the candidates of the DMK-led alliance in Ranipet district.
Alleging that Palaniswami never spoke against any of the centre’s “anti-Tamil Nadu” policies, Stalin said, “After mummy’s (in a sarcastic reference to how Jayalalithaa was adored by her party people as Amma) death, Palaniswami has made AIADMK a dummy.”
Questioning the need for the BJP to convene a Parliament session this week in a hurry when Assembly elections were under way in four states and a Union Territory, Stalin alleged that the agenda is to push through the “unfair” delimitation exercise that will weaken the representation of southern states in the Parliament. “For instance, Uttar Pradesh, which now has 41 constituencies more than Tamil Nadu, is now going to have 61 more Lok Sabha constituencies,” he contended.
Speaking at a rally earlier in Tiruvallur, he said Palaniswami was envious of the welfare schemes implemented by the DMK’s “Dravidian Model” government.
Listing various schemes of the DMK and the 11.19% GSDP growth witnessed in 2024-25, he said all these have rattled Palaniswami. He further alleged that the leader of the opposition was indulging in slander as he was unable to talk about any of his own achievements that matched up to those of the DMK government’s.
“During the EPS-led AIADMK regime, the state recorded a mere 0.07% growth and the development was brought to a standstill. Today, our growth rate stands at 11.19%, and Tamil Nadu serves as a role model for the entire country. We have implemented schemes that make every Tamil proud. If I were to list them all, you would think I came here to present a government report card and not to campaign for election,” he said.
In Ranipet, he noted in particular the opening of a new Tata Motors Jaguar Plant in a record time, with efficient facilitation by the state government.