Edappadi K Palanisamy makes open appeal to OPS camp for merger

Speaking at the inauguration of a new government medical college in Pudukkottai, Palanisamy said,  “This is Amma’s government. She used to be very strict and at the same time show the warmth of a mother. She has taught us to accept those who had left the party and reconcile with them. 

And so, we as her children, are ready to accept those who return.” Putting across a strong appeal to the OPS camp to return soon and strengthen his rule, Palanisamy said, “We are her children. We must join and work for the continuation of the golden rule of ‘Amma.’ We must be like pillars of the government.” 

Telling a small story to explain the position of OPS, the Chief Minister urged, “Don’t delay and come soon, we will build a stronger government as per the divine guidance of Amma.” Eventually, he declared the newly constructed government medical college at Pudukkottai open. 

The college was constructed in an area of 127 acre at a cost of Rs 231.39 crore. It was announced by late Jayalalithaa under rule 110 in the Assembly. She laid the foundation stone for the college too. With the completion and dedication of the medical college, the dream of Amma has comes true, said the Chief Minister.

After concluding various government programmes in Pudukkottai on his way back to Tiruchy, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisamy took time to mingle with school students and have a cup of tea to relax a bit on Friday.  When the convoy on its way back to the airport, neared the government girls HSS in Pudukkottai town, the CM stopped for a while and started a conversation with the students. 

He advised them to prefer the newly inaugurated Pudukkottai Government Medical College for their medical course in the future and wished them well to score good marks in the board examinations.  Similarly, at Keeranur, he stopped by a roadside tea shop along with a few ministers. 

The speciality of the shop was that it had a hand bell kept there for the customers to ring it when satisfied with the quality of the tea served. The Chief Minister not only had tea, he rang the bell complementing the quality of the tea and paid Rs 1,000 for the tea the entire team had. Health Minister C Vijaya Baskar, Tourism Minister Vellamandi N Natarajan, MP K Kamaraj and others had tea with the Chief Minister there.

Around 70 cadre of DMK, including three MLAs, were arrested when they tried to attend the medical college inauguration function on Friday as their names were enlisted in the official invite.

When the MLAs Periyannan Arasu (Pudukkottai), S Ragupahy (Thirumayam) and CV Meiyyanathan (Alangudi) gathered at the DMK district party office to proceed to the function along with the cadre, a team of police personnel attached to Pudukkottai town requested them not to attend the function.  Miffed at it, the MLAs argued that their names have been listed in the official invite as it was a purely government function. 

Police prevented them and arrested all the three MLAs and their supporters. They were confined till evening and released only after the CM had left the town. Condemning the detention, party working president MK Stalin said that the arresting of MLAs is a new political culture and CM Edappadi K Palanisamy had introduced it.  “Arresting of elected MLAs, ahead of a government function, is equal to arresting the people who had voted them,” he asserted and warned the government to stop showing such kinds of attitude.