Hit ground zero for flood relief or resign, Stalin tells Chief Minister

Stalin, who visited the family of the two girls, electrocuted at Kodungayur on Wednesday, told media persons there that the Chief Minister should tender his resignation if he could not engage in flood relief works on a war footing. Criticising Palaniswami for reviewing flood situation in Salem, the DMK working president said the CM has staged a drama by convening a meeting of officials at Salem when it had rained in Chennai.

The CM, apart from owing responsibility for rain related deaths, must immediately engage in flood relief on a war footing. “If he cannot do it, he should immediately tender his resignation,” he added. 

Responding to Local Administration Minister S P Velumani’s claim that flood management in the city was better than in Britain and US, the LoP referred to state Cooperative Minister Sellur K Raju’s Thermocol plan and said the people who make such claims might perhaps bring thermocol to dewater the flooded parts of the city.

Drawing media reports suggesting that the state PWD had issued work orders to undertake flood relief works at an estimated cost of Rs 8.53 crore,  Stalin recalled met warnings issued over 25 days ago.

DMK working president and Leader of Opposition MK Stalin hit out at the state government in Pudukkottai on Thursday that the people and the opposition parties have to depend on the judiciary as the Assembly has not been functioning properly in the ‘horse trading’ Edappadi K Palaniswami government. 

Addressing a function, Stalin charged that everyone has to depend on the judiciary as the Assembly sessions are not properly held to solve any issues. 

“This is evident that the courts have given a series of advices and condemned the government several times as it is not keen on solving any problems faced by the public,” Stalin said. Defending DMK’s pleas in the court, Stalin said, the DMK has been striving hard to preserve justice and truth only through the courts since, the EPS-OPS government is unlikely to deliver on people’s welfare. 

He lauded the efforts of the DMK’s advocates’ wing, especially of the wing’s joint secretary Kannadasan. “He has been executing his works fairly well,” Stalin said. However, he did not spare a few media houses. 

“Some of the media houses are constantly working against the DMK. They blow up trivial issues against the party and down play the DMK’s achievements. At the same time, they exaggerate the little being done by the government,” he charged.