DMK harping on our alliance after losing poll plot, says EPS

TIRUCHY: AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday stepped up his offensive against the DMK, claiming that the ruling party became restless as soon as the opposition party renewed its alliance with the BJP.

Palaniswami alleged that the Chief Minister, MK Stalin, is in the practice of speaking against the alliance only because of his fears.

“AIADMK is our party, and we will decide on any alliance. What is your problem with it? Why are you restless?” asked Palaniswami while addressing a rally in Mannargudi and Kumbakonam as a part of ‘Makkalai Kaappom, Thamizhagathai Meetpom’ poll campaign.

Palaniswami pointed out that the Karunanidhi-led previous DMK government had signed an MoU for anti-farmer projects like extraction of hydrocarbon and methane. “But the AIADMK, after forming the government, declared the Delta as a Protected Agricultural Zone and saved agricultural lands from the region as per the wishes of the farmers. Similarly, the DMK has brought a coal mines project at Vadaseri, the home village of former Union minister TR Baalu, and the AIADMK government stopped that project too, as it would affect agriculture,” EPS said.

Stating that the AIADMK government had twice waived the agriculture loans to avail from Agriculture Cooperative Credit Societies, EPS said the farmers are denied crop loans citing the CIBIL score, but the DMK government has been sitting as a silent spectator.

EPS pointed out that the DMK was in alliance with the BJP during the 1999 Lok Sabha elections and was in the saffron party-led government too. Similarly, DMK aligned with the BJP during the 2001 Assembly polls, he said. “You can have an alliance with the BJP, but AIADMK should not have it,” he said, adding that the DMK has no subject to raise against the AIADMK government, so it is resorting to alliance issues.

EPS slams regime for poor desilt works

Criticising that the water released from Mettur had not reached the tail end region even after a month, EPS suspected poor desilting works as the reason. He said that the AIADMK government formed special teams to monitor the desilt works, and the officials were asked to show proper evidence of completion of the desilting. “But now, the DMK never shows interest in desilt works hitting the farmers badly,” he said.

EPS also claimed that the crop insurance had not been extended for the past three months, resulting in a double whammy. The inefficient water management led to withering of crops, and the farmers could not get crop insurance either, he said. Apart from this, there is a frequent power cut and shortage of fertilisers, which were not present during the AIADMK government, he said.

‘Tasmac bars controlled by Karur gang’

Terming that the DMK government is notorious for scams, the LoP said that the Tasmac scam to the tune of Rs 1,000 was unearthed, and a whopping amount of Rs 54,000 crore goes to the DMK leadership through the ex-minister V Senthilbalaji. He also alleged that out of a total of around 5,000 Tasmac bars, the Karur groups (related to Senthilbalaji) took charge of the most profitable bars across the State. “The people are now aware of it will teach the DMK a fitting lesson in the elections,” EPS added.

Thiruma under fire

Criticising VCK Chief, the LoP said, Thol Thirumavalavan had compared his meeting with people well before the elections with the students who study well in advance when there is a long time to go for an exam. “As students who prepare for a long time to get good scores, I meet people well before the election. Do not demotivate the students,” EPS said and added that he would go again and again in all the 234 assembly segments and meet the people.