On Day 1 of poll yatra, EPS goes full throttle on rival DMK

COIMBATORE: Kickstarting his statewide poll campaign ‘Makkalai Kappom, Thamizhagathai Meetpom’ from Mettupalayam near Coimbatore on Monday, AIADMK general secretary ‘Edappadi’ K Palaniswami launched a blitzkrieg attack on the ruling DMK government for curtailing the schemes launched by his party earlier and exuded confidence that more parties will join the alliance.

Flanked by BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran and Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L Murugan, the AIADMK leader, while addressing a massive crowd from atop a vehicle, also declared that theirs is a ‘strong’ alliance, formed to achieve a massive win in the 2026 assembly polls by defeating the anti-people DMK government.

“Alliance is something formed at the time of polls to prevent votes from getting split. Ours is a strong alliance, and more parties may join us for the ensuing assembly polls. Whereas the INDIA alliance has disintegrated with parties leaving one by one,” he said.

Defending criticisms against AIADMK’s alliance with BJP, Palaniswami sought to remind the DMK of its alliance with BJP in 1999 for the Lok Sabha polls and in 2001 for the assembly polls.

“The BJP, which remained a good party when DMK was in alliance, has now become a fascist party when AIADMK allies. The AIADMK is having an alliance with the BJP that does good for the people as against DMK with Congress that imprisoned their party leaders under MISA,” he said, adding that the BJP provides a strong and stable government in the Centre.

Referring to remarks that the BJP is doing nothing for Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK leader wondered what big schemes the DMK, which was in alliance with a government in the Centre for 16 years, brought to the State. “The DMK’s first family only aims to share power and loot. The DMK is daydreaming of returning to power by spreading lies,” he said.

Asserting that people will teach a befitting lesson to DMK for betraying people who voted the party to power, Palaniswami said of the 522 poll promises, only 15 per cent were implemented so far by the DMK. “Stalin’s only achievement is to have curtailed the schemes rolled out during the AIADMK government,” he said.

The AIADMK leader also lashed out at the DMK over increase in electricity charges and property tax, while law and order situation has deteriorated with murder, rape and robbery becoming rampant with no safety for anyone. Earlier, Palaniswami took out a three-kilometre road show as part of the campaign.