Just to guarantee alliance with TVK Palaniswami lies even in Assembly: Minister

Chennai, Oct 15 (PTI) Tamil Nadu Minister for Minerals and Mines S Regupathy, on Wednesday, accused Opposition leader Edappadi K Palaniswami of lying even in the Assembly with regard to Karur stampede deaths, just to guarantee an alliance with actor-politician Vijay's party.

Speaking to reporters here, Raghupathi also taunted the opposition leader, saying "we can call him Poi(lies)ppadi, instead".

Referring to the AIADMK chief's claim that Karur stampede is a "planned tragedy", Regupathy said, "Instead of praising our efficiency, since we rose to the occasion quickly, got the injured admitted and did autopsies of the dead on the same night itself, opposition leader, just to guarantee an alliance with TVK, is saying all sorts of lies." It is because DMK cares for the people, the government led by it inspired the officials to bend their backs and do what needed to be done.

He also said wherever TVK went, crowd-surge mishaps happened.

"In Trichy, people had fainted; we have proof. In Namakkal, 35 people were affected and in Nagapattinam, five people. This is happening because Vijay is behaving like an actor," said the minister.

Instead of coming forward to greet the people, like political leaders usually do, he hides from them, triggering the surge towards him, added Regupathy.

"In Karur, he approached the stage in stealth mode -- hiding in his bus without even the light. Because they were not able to see him at the back of the crowd, people started to surge to the front to have a glimpse of him," added the minister.

He also said the DMK government would develop a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for roadshows, as directed by the court, after consulting other political parties. PTI JR ADB