MADURAI: AIADMK leader R B Udhayakumar accused Minister Aadhav Arjuna of "political arrogance" and "attempting to divert public attention" from Tamil Nadu's deteriorating law and order situation and dengue outbreak.

Addressing a gathering, Udhayakumar claimed the ongoing debate over the Prime Ministerial face of the TVK-Congress alliance was a "calculated distraction".

"The boxing match between TVK and Congress over whether Vijay or Rahul Gandhi is the Prime Ministerial candidate is creating more flutter than the dengue fever panic or the law and order incidents," Udhayakumar said.

"In a single day, 253 people were affected by dengue in Tamil Nadu. Along with three murders in Madurai, eight people have been murdered across the state in 24 hours," he added, stating, "Perhaps, TVK is deliberately spreading this to divert attention".

Criticising the newly formed TVK-led 'Secular Social Justice Victory Alliance', which includes parties like the Congress, VCK, and MDMK, the former minister said the coalition is facing an impending collapse due to the Prime Ministerial candidate controversy.

Udhayakumar strongly condemned Arjuna for recently questioning why a leader from southern Tamil Nadu could not become the Prime Minister. "The speech by him at the Madurantakam by-election candidate introduction meeting is the height of arrogance, ego, and political indecency," he said.

Questioning the minister's political awareness after he purportedly belittled AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, Udhayakumar asked, "What can we say about the half-baked speech of a minister who does not even know the basic fact that Palaniswami won by a margin of 98,000 votes."

Udhayakumar also levelled allegations about Arjuna's political career. "He was chased out of the DMK and came to the streets, fell at the feet of Thirumavalavan to join VCK, and when his secret plan to capture the VCK was discovered, he was driven away by loyal party cadres," the AIADMK leader claimed.

He further alleged that Arjuna had approached the AIADMK seeking a leadership position. "When he asked the AIADMK general secretary for the deputy general secretary post to join the party, Palaniswami taught him the grammar of politics, stating that posts are not for sale here and are only for hard workers," he said.

Expressing confidence about the upcoming by-elections, the AIADMK leader declared that his party would secure decisive victories. "The political lesson that will be taught to you in Dharapuram and Madurantakam will put an end to your anarchic dance and horse-trading treacherous politics," Udhayakumar asserted, adding, "The 'Two Leaves' symbol will bloom again in Dharapuram and Madurantakam".