AIADMK leaders’ campaign topics go national this season

Probably, the alliance with BJP may be the reason that has forced the leaders of the ruling party in the state to shift their focus to national topics in the campaign.

During the previous elections, the AIADMK campaigned protesting against Aadhaar, GST, food security bill and NEET, but things have changed for the AIADMK leaders and the star campaigners. The AIADMK, which has got permission for 40 senior members as star campaigners for the polls, has ensured that they toed the lines of BJP.

“There are vested interests supporting Pakistan and to protect the nation we need our strong Prime Minister Narendra Modi to continue,” opined AIADMK leader C Ponnaiyan during his campaign in western Tamil Nadu on Monday. The speech by Ponnaiyan was similar to what Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami lectured in same location last week. The Chief Minister had said that when the nation was facing problems from neighbouring countries, we needed a strong PM like Modi to protect national security. The CM also heaped praises on PM Modi for bringing in massive investments through his foreign tours.

While the campaign was ridiculed by the Opposition, BJP leader H Raja defended the CM and state ministers asking what was wrong in BJP and AIADMK forming an alliance and campaigning for the victory of alliance candidates.

Last week, the BJP candidate contesting from Sivaganga also asked reporters why was the MDMK and DMK alliance not described as unholy pointing to a past statement of Vaiko that the DMK to perish in the state.

Tiruvallur MP P Venugopal, who is seeking re-election, is also now a staunch campaigner for the development of nation under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi.

“We always campaign invoking the legacy of AIADMK leaders, welfare schemes brought in by the AIADMK, Tamil pride and upholding the rights of Tamil Nadu,” said Poonga Nagar Selvam, a senior AIADMK functionary with MGR Mandram.

“This is a new kind of campaign-style adopted by the AIADMK leaders. We have to wait and watch how it works. Unlike the DMK, where Karunanidhi family runs the show, AIADMK is a public party. The regular campaign plank of tarnishing the DMK is also taken up and this will help us to win public votes,” added Selvam.