CHENNAI: Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam general secretary (policy and propaganda) Arunraj, on Saturday, alleged that the protest by teachers, nurses and cleanliness workers over the non-fulfilment of the promises made to them by the ruling DMK exposes cracks in the Chief Minister’s public image and asserted that people would deliver a decisive verdict through the ballot.

In a social media post on Friday, Arunraj accused the Tamil Nadu government of attempting to suppress democratic protests rather than fulfilling its electoral promises. He criticised the handling of the demonstration by graduate teachers demanding equal pay for equal work, saying police action was being used against those who trusted the promises and voted for the government.

He said the police prevented protesting teachers from speaking to the media and forcibly removed them from the protest site. Similar attempts were made during recent demonstrations by sanitation workers and nurses, he added.

The TVK leader said the government's governance model was focused more on event management and image building than addressing the genuine concerns of working groups. He said that the growing protests reflected frustration among those who feel neglected and warned that voters would respond strongly in the upcoming elections.