Palaniswami rejects Stalin’s ‘slave’ charge, says AIADMK operates independently

Palaniswami denies Stalin's 'slave' accusation, asserting AIADMK's independence and criticizing DMK's reliance on Congress and governance issues.

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Sunday rejected Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s allegation that his party was functioning as a “slave” or a “branch” of the BJP, and asserted that the AIADMK operated independently.

Addressing a public meeting at Ariyappampalayam in the Bhavanisagar Assembly constituency as part of his State-wide tour, he said the AIADMK was a “self-respecting party” that stood on its own. “AIADMK is not a slave to anyone,” he said, adding that the DMK, on the contrary, was dependent on the Congress. He accused Mr. Stalin of indulging in false propaganda and referred to a past ‘raid’ at Anna Arivalayam, the DMK headquarters, while alliance discussions were under way with the Congress. “That is slavery, and even if Mr. Stalin deliberately spreads slander, it will not succeed,” he said.

He pointed out that two months ago, Mr. Stalin had claimed that no party was willing to join hands with the AIADMK. “Alliances should form naturally. Now the NDA, led by the AIADMK, has been formed strongly,” he said, alleging that the DMK alliance was witnessing internal discord, including demands from allies for a share in power. He said confusion prevailed within the DMK front, while the AIADMK alliance was united and had already begun campaigning across the State.

Mr. Palaniswami accused Mr. Stalin of running a government focused on publicity rather than governance. “If there were lapses during the AIADMK regime, point them out. You cannot find any. Instead, you repeatedly say the AIADMK is a slave to the BJP and that I crawled to get my post. Is this the speech of a Chief Minister? People are listening,” he said. Repeating allegations would not make them true, he said, and reiterated his readiness for a public debate with Mr. Stalin on governance and achievements.

Recalling developments following the demise of former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, he said the AIADMK had weathered internal challenges with the support of party cadre and he had been elected Chief Minister by a majority of MLAs. Drawing a comparison between their political trajectories, Mr. Palaniswami said he had risen through hard work, “whereas Mr. Stalin became the Chief Minister owing to the legacy of his father, late DMK leader M. Karunanidhi.”

Raising concern over law and order, Mr. Palaniswami alleged that women and minors were unsafe, and said 6,999 cases of child sexual abuse had been reported in the State. “Have their cries not reached your ears?” he asked. He further alleged that though tax revenues had increased by ₹1.36 lakh crore compared to the AIADMK regime, the public had not benefited. On higher education, he said the State had achieved its 2030 Gross Enrolment Ratio target in 2019 under the AIADMK government, with the ratio rising from 34% in 2011 to 52% in 2019-20, and claimed it had since declined to 48%.