Kanimozhi flags ‘neglect’ of State, hits out at Opposition

Kanimozhi criticizes the Union government and AIADMK for neglecting Tamil Nadu's needs during her campaign in Erode and Namakkal.

Thoothukudi MP and DMK deputy general secretary Kanimozhi Karunanidhi on Thursday accused the Union government of neglecting Tamil Nadu and the Opposition of “betraying the people,” asserting that only the ruling DMK was safeguarding the State’s rights.

Campaigning for the party’s Bhavani Assembly constituency candidate K.A. Chandrasekar, she said several welfare measures implemented by the DMK government, including the breakfast scheme for schoolchildren, were not part of its previous manifesto but were introduced with people’s welfare in mind.

Referring to the Union Budget, Ms. Kanimozhi said Tamil Nadu found no mention in it, unlike in the past when references to the Thirukkural were included, and alleged that the Centre had failed to allocate adequate funds.

Targeting AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, she said that despite his claim of maintaining cordial ties with the Union government as Chief Minister, he had failed to secure schemes for the State. “He supported laws against the people of the State and the country,” she alleged, adding that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin alone was consistently fighting for the State’s rights.

She said former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa had opposed the Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana scheme, whereas Mr. Palaniswami had accepted it, leading to higher electricity charges.

Condemning remarks by the Leader of the Opposition against the Chief Minister, she said voters would “teach him a lesson” in the election and alleged that the NDA alliance was against Tamil, its language, and the State.