DMK never compromised on T.N. rights even when it was in NDA: CM

CM M.K. Stalin defends DMK's integrity in T.N. rights during NDA membership, criticizing AIADMK's current alliance with BJP.

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Wednesday said that the DMK had never compromised on the rights of the State when it was part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by former Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee.

Addressing a public meeting here to canvas votes for DMK candidates in four Assembly constituencies of Karur district, Mr. Stalin said that AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami had raised questions on the DMK’s alliance with the BJP-led government. There was no secret in it. When DMK was part of NDA, the party was fully under the control of the then president M. Karunanidhi, who never allowed the BJP to dominate. Moreover, the Vajpayee government was fully governed by a common minimum programme. The DMK had ensured its implementation in letter and in spirit.

The DMK had brought a number of development and welfare schemes to the State when it was part of the NDA. But the bridle of the AIADMK was with the BJP in the NDA now. Not only that, the bridle of all corrupt constituents of the NDA was with Home Minister Amit Shah. “When we were part of the NDA, we brought many schemes to the State. But Mr. Palaniswami by aligning with the BJP, has pledged the rights of the State,” Mr. Stalin alleged.

Reacting to Mr. Palaniswami’s accusation that he had tried to break the AIADMK, the DMK president said that it was a baseless allegation. Mr. Palaniswami had no leadership qualities. He was making such baseless allegations as he could not stomach the return of the leaders to their parent party, the DMK, from the AIADMK. Many were returning to the DMK as they could not accept Mr. Palaniswami’s misdeeds in leading the party to the path of destruction. There was nothing wrong with them returning to their parent party.

Questioning the leadership qualities of Mr. Palaniswami, Mr. Stalin said that he was destroying the Dravidian (AIADMK) party by joining hands with the BJP. The irony was that he had brought the AIADMK under his control by betraying and backstabbing several persons right from Sasikala, the aide of late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, to former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam. Mr. Palaniswami’s arrogant attitude had forced them to leave the party.

Accusing the BJP of discriminatory approach on all aspects of governance towards Tamil Nadu, Mr. Stalin said that it was taking revenge as the NDA could not win even a single seat in the 2024 elections.