Chief Minister thanks Palaniswami for publicising Ungaludan Stalin scheme

CHENNAI: Emphasising that his party (DMK)-led alliance was in pole position in the run up to the 2026 Assembly polls, Chief Minister MK Stalin on Wednesday said that the people of Tamil Nadu will write the epilogue and bid goodbye to Palaniswami and his ‘Delhi owners’ in 2026.

Posting videos of his participation in the ongoing ‘Ungaludan Stalin’ scheme launched by him to deliver 46 different services to the people in their areas, Chief Minister Stalin, in a message posted on his 'X' page, said, "People will write the epilogue and bid goodbye to you (EPS) and your Delhi owners in 2026."

Taking a sarcastic jibe at Palaniswami for criticising the Ungaludan Stalin scheme, the Chief Minister said, "Mr Palaniswami! You have transformed into the brand ambassador of the Ungaludan Stalin scheme, and you are travelling by vehicle to various places and explaining its details."

The IT wing of the ruling DMK made good use of the footage of the LoP's ‘Makkalai Kaapom, Tamilagathai Meetpom’ (Protect the people; rescue Tamil Nadu) campaign in which he was seen waving the Ungaludan Stalin pamphlets and reading out the list of services being offered under the scheme. The DMK IT wing posted the footage and sarcastically thanked the LoP for popularising the scheme.

I am honoured to be with my kudumbam, says CM

“The people of Tamil Nadu are my family and I am honoured to be with my ‘kudumbam’ (family) for the past four years,” said Chief Minister Stalin in Mayiladuthurai on Wednesday.

He also stressed that the DMK government has been treating everyone irrespective of the party as family members in a fitting reply to Leader of Opposition party Edappadi K Palaniswami, who had said ‘Ungaludan Stalin’ is nothing but ‘Kudumbathudan Stalin’.

“To me, all people in the state are my family, and this government looks at everyone as a family member and thus the developmental schemes are launched for the benefit of the people,” he said.

Stalin said that EPS was ridiculing the Magalir Urimai Thogai of Rs 1,000 per month as not at all possible and went on campaigning against the scheme.

“But now, 1.14 crore women from the state are receiving the money, and steps are being initiated to ensure all eligible women to avail the benefit. The money is given to every woman, and the AIADMK women too are availing the benefit and EPS should be aware of it, but he is speaking against these projects out of frustration,” stated Stalin.

Inaugurating completed projects, laying foundation for the new project and distributing welfare assistance to the beneficiaries in Mayiladuthurai, the Chief Minister Stalin said, the Dravidian Model government ensures equal development in all the districts and thus, the Mayiladuthurai district had received development projects worth Rs 7,360 crore and welfare assistance to the tune of Rs 2,000 crore.

Several iconic projects for the district were brought out and among them, development of Poompuhar tourism, permanent DPCs, paddy drying units, desilt programmes and waiver of jewel loan to as many as 18,961 persons, waiver of loan to Women SGHs to the tune of Rs 13 crore and free power supply to as many as 1,238 farmers are a few, the CM said.

‘Retrieval of Katchatheevu only solution for fishers' issue’

Stating that the DMK government has been continuously fighting for a permanent solution to the frequent attacks on the Tamil Nadu fishermen, the Chief Minister said that the retrieval of Katchatheevu would be the only solution for the fishermen's issue, and the union government should initiate talks with the neighbouring Sri Lankan government.

"The Prime Minister should be personally involved in the issue and solve the problem, and the Tamil Nadu government and the DMK will continue to fight for the fishing rights of Tamil Nadu fishermen,” Stalin said.

The Chief Minister made eight new announcements for the Mayiladuthurai district, including a new Railway Over Bridge at Needur at an estimated cost of Rs 85 crore, Tourism development in Tharangambadi at a sanctioned fund of Rs 45 crore, statue for the freedom fighter Samy Nagappan, Kuthalam canal renovation at an estimated cost of Rs 7 crore, Poompuhar harbour renovation, storm water drains at Sirkazhi and disilt works.

Meanwhile, Stalin refused the justification of EPS meeting Union Minister Amit Shah for the benefit of Tamil Nadu.

“EPS met Amit Shah just to save his family from the raids. He even pledged the cadres to the BJP for his benefit and so even the AIADMK cadres are in a mood to vote against EPS,” claimed Stalin.