Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami hit back at DMK president M. K Stalin’s “fake farmer” jibe and accused his rival of trying to spread “falsehoods” and “confuse” the voters in a desperate bid to capture power as his party had been out of power for 10 years.
Seeking votes for his party candidate M. Senthil Kumar from Kallakurichi constituency, the Chief Minister said the DMK president had invented a new term “fake farmer” while accusing him personally. “There is nothing called fake farmer. I am a farmer because I inherited land from my father. By using such words, he has insulted the farmers and farming as a profession. He does not know anything about farming,” he said, addressing a gathering at Katchery Road in Kallakurichi town.
Terming the DMK a party of “rowdies”, the Chief Minister said the prevailing law and order situation in Tamil Nadu would collapse if the party was voted to power.
Law-and-order
“The law-and-order situation in Tamil Nadu is better now. People of all castes and religions are living peacefully here. If the DMK comes to power the rule of law will deteriorate. The DMK has already started threatening police officers,” he alleged.
Speaking at Ulundurpet canvassing votes for AIADMK candidate R. Kumaruguru, Mr. Palaniswami said the DMK leader, without knowing the facts, was opposing the three farm legislations. “I have been asking how the farm laws are going to impact the life of farmers in Tamil Nadu. He says it will affect the life of farmers in Punjab. I am not a national leader. I will speak against the farm laws if it affects the lives of the people in Tamil Nadu,” he said.
Attacking Mr. Stalin for his comments that the AIADMK had succumbed to the BJP, the Chief Minister said the DMK had enjoyed power at Centre by aligning with the saffron party when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister. Its leader Murasoli Maran held the ministerial position even while undergoing treatment, the Chief Minister recalled.
“If they form the alliance, it is right and when we align with the BJP, it is wrong. It is better for the State to maintain cordial relations with Centre for getting funds,” he said, seeking votes for BJP candidate V. A. T Kaliavardan from Thirukkoilur constituency.
At Villupuram, while canvassing for his cabinet colleague C.Ve.Shanmugam, the Chief Minister said the Assembly election would bring an end to dynasty politics in Tamil Nadu.
He reiterated his charge that the DMK was a dynastic party. Mr Stalin had taken over the reins of the party from his father. Similarly, he was now laying the stepping stones to his son Udayanidhi, the Chief Minister said.
