Deputy Chief Minister should speak carefully, warns EPS

Former Chief Minister and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Monday evening warned Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin to speak carefully.

Mr. Palaniswami was campaigning for Gangavalli (SC) Assembly constituency AIADMK candidate Nallathambi at Veeraganur. Addressing a gathering, he said Salem district is an AIADMK fort. The DMK might rule the State, but in Salem district, the AIADMK won 10 seats out of 11 in 2021, he said.

Pointing out that seeking blessings while getting a position is a Tamil tradition, Mr. Palaniswami said Mr. Udhayanidhi Stain posted a meme on the social media platform Instagram (a photo of Mr. Palaniswami falling at V.K. Sasikala’s feet after he was elected Chief Minister in 2017).

“In my 51 years in public life, I never criticised anyone severely or used unparliamentary words. For whom did Mr. Udhayanidhi conducted a car race in Chennai using crores of rupees of people’s money?” Mr. Palaniswami asked.

Declaring that none is safe under the DMK regime, Mr. Palaniswami said that over 6,999 POSCO cases were registered during the DMK regime, and ₹84 crore was given as compensation. Likewise, 18,000 cases of sexual assault were registered.

All taxes were increased. The party made 525 promises during the past elections, but didn’t fulfil most. Now, they promise to give a ₹8,000 coupon for women, which benefits the DMK family, Mr. Palaniswami alleged.

Pointing out that the Union government has announced a caste census in the country, Mr. Palaniswami said that after the AIADMK comes to power, a caste census will be conducted in Tamil Nadu.