AIADMK chief Palaniswami attacks DMK for 'dynasty politics'

Salem (Tamil Nadu), Jan 4 (PTI) AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Sunday attacked the ruling DMK, accusing it of functioning like a 'corporate company' run by one family, contrasting it with his party, where he claimed anyone can rise to leadership with hardwork.

Addressing a public meeting in Veerapandi Assembly constituency, a traditional stronghold of the AIADMK, Palaniswami said, "The DMK is a corporate company. It is not a political party. Only AIADMK is a political party. Here in the AIADMK, anybody can grow in the party to become a leader." Highlighting his own political journey, he said, "I am a son of this soil from this district. Starting as a zonal secretary in AIADMK, I rose to become the general secretary and got an opportunity to serve the people as the Chief Minister. This is possible only in the AIADMK. It is not so in DMK..." Criticising the elevation of Udhayanidhi Stalin as the Deputy Chief Minister, he said veteran DMK leader and Minister Durai Murugan was not made the Deputy CM, because he did not belong to the (DMK late patriarch) Karunanidhi family.

"After DMK President M Karunanidhi, Stalin is at the party's helm, and now Udhayanidhi is rising. There are also talks of his son Inbanidhi taking over in future. This is shameful dynastic rule," he said.

Calling on voters to reject the DMK in the upcoming assembly polls, he asked, "Do you all want such a party to continue after the forthcoming elections?" Continuing his tirade against the DMK, Palaniswami sought to know whether Udhayanidhi toiled hard to become the deputy chief minister. "Stalin used to say that he was in jail for the party's cause. But, how many times has Udhayanidhi gone to jail for the party?" he asked.

Earlier, Palaniswami paid floral tributes to the portraits of party founder M G Ramachandran and late supremo and former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.

The former CM described Salem district as a fortress of the AIADMK, claiming all 11 constituencies belong to his party.

Palaniswami noted that while DMK may have won one seat in 2021 assembly elections, it will not be possible in 2026.

"Though Stalin is the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Salem is governed by AIADMK." Accusing the ruling DMK of "failing" to launch even one new welfare scheme for the people of Salem district, Palaniswami claimed even those projects introduced during the AIADMK regime were not completed.

"You have been ruling Tamil Nadu for more than 4.5 years. Have you brought one project benefitting the people of Salem? The only achievement of DMK is stalling all projects initiated during the AIADMK regime," he alleged.

Referring to his visit to the Veerapandi constituency, Palaniswami said he was overwhelmed with the support of the people and it was evident that the AIADMK-led alliance will win in the 2026 Assembly elections. PTI VIJ VIJ ROH