Tamils are educated, will not fall for roadshows: Palaniswami

AIADMK general secretary criticizes BJP, DMK election tactics, highlighting party's achievements and slamming opposition's gimmicks.

Stating that the AIADMK was the only party that gave opportunity to every member, its general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Wednesday said that voters will not fall for the “election gimmicks” of the BJP and the DMK.

Addressing a public meeting in Pollachi to canvass votes for his party’s Lok Sabha candidate A. Karthikeyan, Mr. Palaniswami said that the AIADMK had won people’s hearts during its 30 years in power. “Someone is flying to the State [during the election] and doing roadshows. Has he given anything to the State? Will the people vote [for his party]? People of Tamil Nadu are educated, and they know who has toiled for them,” he said, in an apparent attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Taking a dig at DMK president and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, Mr. Palaniswami said that the former’s party was like a corporate company based on family politics. “Wherever Mr. Stalin speaks, his priority is to defame me and other AIADMK leaders. He does not have anything to say about the achievements of his government. Now, he is seeking support for the INDIA bloc. It is his plan to plunder the Centre, too,” he said.

Alleging that the BJP State president and Coimbatore candidate K. Annamalai was making false promises, Mr. Palaniswami said that it was his party that showed a keen interest in implementing the Nallar – Anamalayar irrigation scheme, a long-pending demand of farmers in Pollachi. It was a matter of discussion between Tamil Nadu and Kerala, he said, adding, “As Chief Minister, I took the initiative and had a dialogue with the Kerala Chief Minister on the issue.”

“Annamalai is also raising the Cauvery water dispute [for votes]. Why didn’t his party try to resolve the issue when the AIADMK was an ally of the BJP and Karnataka was ruled by the BJP,” he asked.

Referring to alleged drug syndicate kingpin Jaffer Sadiq’s arrest by the NCB and his links to the DMK, Mr. Palaniswami said that drugs had become common all across the State.