COIMBATORE: AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Tuesday asserted that his party will again prove Western districts are their fortress in the 2026 Assembly polls.
Referring to criticism by Chief Minister MK Stalin that AIADMK’s defeat will begin from Western districts, Palaniswami said the DMK may be a ruling party in Tamil Nadu, but it’s the AIADMK which is ruling in Coimbatore.
“We have proved AIADMK is a strong party by winning 80 per cent of seats in the Western districts. It will be proven once again that this region is our fort,” he said, while addressing a gathering of people on his second day of poll campaign, ‘Makkalai Kappom, Thamizhagathai Meetpom’ in Krishnagiri.
The leader of the opposition said that it was during the AIADMK regime that Rs 1,000 crore worth of smart city projects were implemented by Coimbatore and Tirupur corporations.
Countering claims that he is jealous of the schemes being implemented by Stalin, the AIADMK leader said the DMK has been implementing the schemes of AIADMK by changing names when there are barely seven months for polls.
“The AIADMK conducted 15 lakh medical camps during its ten-year rule. However, the DMK, after four years, has launched ‘Nalam Kaakum Stalin' and ‘Ungaludan Stalin' to deceive people for their votes,” he said.
Palaniswami also attacked the DMK over the increasing crime graph and said the hands of the police remain tied. “The DMK’s sole motive is to indulge in commission, collection, and corruption,” he said.