Stalin is using government machinery for political gain, Says Edappadi K Palaniswami

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Thursday accused Chief Minister M.K. Stalin of misusing government machinery and staff to further his political agenda ahead of the elections.

Speaking at a public meeting in Sirkazhi, Mayiladuthurai district, as part of his ‘Urimaiyai Meetpom, Makkalai Kappom’ campaign, Mr. Palaniswami criticised the timing and intent behind the ‘Ungaludan Stalin’ outreach programme, calling it a “gimmick” designed for votes.

“Just one year before the elections, Mr. Stalin is resorting to gimmicks using government machinery. Government employees are helping him in this campaign,” he alleged, referring to the ‘Ungaludan Stalin’ scheme. “This is not how a Chief Minister should function.”

Questioning the intent behind the scheme, Mr. Palaniswami said, “Why is he collecting grievances after four years? The scheme claims to address 46 different issues—Mr. Stalin is indirectly accepting that there are unresolved problems. Why now? This is nothing but a vote-seeking exercise.”

He also criticised the ideological inconsistency within the DMK-led alliance. “Mr. Stalin says his is an ideological alliance. Do VCK or Congress share the same ideology? Every party in their coalition follows different ideologies. Worse, they’ve compromised their principles for the DMK’s sake. People see through it, and alliance leaders should be careful when they face the public.”

Responding to Mr. Stalin’s criticism on the Katchatheevu issue, Mr. Palaniswami said, “It was during the tenure of former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi in Tamil Nadu and the Congress government at the Centre that Katchatheevu was ceded. Back then, when they were in power and in alliance, they didn’t care about fishermen. Now they are pretending to be their saviours.”

On the Chief Minister’s recent remark that Mr. Palaniswami is afraid, the AIADMK leader replied, “I am a farmer. I have nothing to fear. You should fear the TASMAC scam, where ₹10 is taken from every bottle. At least ₹15 crore is looted every day, which amounts to over ₹5,000 crore a year. So, who really has something to fear?”

Reasserting AIADMK’s record in protecting farmers’ interests, Mr. Palaniswami said it was his government that declared the delta region a protected agricultural zone. “No one, not even Mr. Stalin, can take away people’s land here. That is our achievement,” he said.

Referring to the allegations of M. Sundaresan, DSP of the Prohibition Enforcement Wing in Mayiladuthurai, that he was being harassed by seniors, Mr Palaniswami said under the DMK honest and decorated officers are being ill-treated.

He condemned the taking away of the DSP’s official vehicle. “If this is how law enforcement officers are treated, how can they effectively curb the spread of illicit liquor and other addictive substances,” he asked.