Goyal, Annamalai confident of strong mandate across TN

CHENNAI: Union Minister and BJP leader Piyush Goyal on Tuesday said he felt ashamed that the Congress-DMK alliance had stooped so low as to insult Prime Minister Narendra Modi, even as the BJP exuded confidence of a decisive NDA victory in Tamil Nadu.

Referring to the remarks made by AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, Goyal said, "The Congress and the DMK have insulted a democratically elected Prime Minister by calling him a terrorist." Kharge had later explained that he meant that the Prime Minister was terrorising other political parties.

He demanded that Rahul Gandhi and Chief Minister MK Stalin apologise, saying the comments had humiliated 140 crore Indians, including 8 crore Tamils.

"By targeting the Prime Minister, they are effectively insulting the people of India. Such personal attacks will not change their electoral fate," he said.

Addressing a joint press conference at Kamalalayam, the state BJP headquarters here, Piyush Goyal accused the DMK of running a family-centric administration, alleging that governance was confined to a narrow circle involving Stalin, Udhayanidhi Stalin and other relatives. He also flagged the unchecked spread of liquor and criticised remarks on 'Sanatana Dharma'.

BJP leader K Annamalai said the AIADMK-led NDA would secure a strong mandate across all 234 constituencies. Alleging a breakdown of law and order, he cited the reported sexual assault of a student in Tiruvannamalai and accused the DMK of shielding offenders.

He also pointed to alleged cash distribution in Coimbatore South and Karur, and blamed the State for poor implementation of Central schemes. "This is not Stalin's election, it is about paving the way for Udhayanidhi Stalin," he said, adding that defeat anxiety was visible in the ruling party.