West is strongest region for DMK, says Udhayanidhi Stalin

“The West is the strongest region for the DMK,” Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin said at the party’s West Region Youth Wing conference in Kaniyur, Coimbatore, on Sunday.

Addressing functionaries from 39 constituencies, he said the DMK had appointed administrators in every booth, while other parties were still working out their booth-level structure.

Referring to the ₹1,000 monthly Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai implemented under Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, he said beneficiaries recently received ₹5,000 as a special disbursal. The BJP had planned to move court to stall the scheme, he alleged. If re-elected, he said, the monthly assistance would be increased to ₹2,000.

He accused the BJP-led Union government of attempting to curtail Tamil Nadu’s language, education and financial rights and of imposing Hindi through the National Education Policy. Referring to the Union Budget, he claimed it contained no major allocations for Tamil Nadu and it demonstrated the Centre’s disregard for the State’s interests. The Assembly polls will be a “democratic war” between Tamil Nadu and Delhi, he said.

Referring to AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, he said the AIADMK had been “sold” to the BJP.