Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, who often proclaims to be a farmer, sought to give a brief demonstration of his skills as a farm hand by joining a group of labourers in transplanting paddy seedlings in Siddhamalli in Tiruvarur district on Saturday.
On a day-long tour of the delta region, Mr. Palaniswami, while heading to Nagapattinam, got down from his vehicle in Siddhamalli and walked straight to a paddy field where farm workers were transplanting paddy nurseries.
After exchanging pleasantries with them, the Chief Minister folded his dhoti to get into the ankle-deep slush and started planting paddy seedlings alongside the workers. Watched by Food Minister R. Kamaraj and his security guards, who too followed the Chief Minister into the field, Mr. Palaniswami went about the task for a few minutes. Impressed by his deft work, some of women workers stood in awe and applauded the Chief Minister.
After spending about 10 minutes in the field, Mr. Palaniswami washed his legs and hands using the water gushing from an agricultural pumpset nearby before resuming his journey.
Earlier, in a brief address at a public reception in Needamangalam, Mr. Palaniswami affirmed that his government would stand by farmers and do everything to meet their expectations. The enactment of the law making the Cauvery delta an agricultural zone was intended to protect the livelihood of farmers and farm workers, he said.
