Palaniswami slams DMK govt over 'corruption', hails PM for providing good governance

Madurai (Tamil Nadu), Mar 1 (PTI) AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Sunday slammed the ruling DMK government over alleged corruption and hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi in striving for the development of Tamil Nadu.

At an NDA rally here in Mandela Nagar, he said PM Modi has been providing excellence and good governance at the Centre.

The NDA has commenced the campaign in Tamil Nadu, whereas the DMK and its alliance partners are yet to begin their campaign, the AIADMK chief said.

"If one says, Madurai, what comes to memory is the famous Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple. We are having our second campaign here (after Madurantakam in January). The assembly election is nearing. It will decide who should rule Tamil Nadu and who should not," he said.

Palaniswami underscored that the infrastructure projects such as Pamban Bridge, AIIMS, 11 medical colleges were sanctioned to Tamil Nadu only during the NDA regime.

Taking a dig at the ruling DMK government, he appealed to the gathering to end DMK's family rule and ensure NDA's victory in the upcoming assembly polls.

"Anti-people governance must be removed. NDA is an alliance formed for that very purpose. In our alliance, all the parties which have people's support are present here today. All of us must ensure the victory of NDA candidates in 234 assembly constituencies," he said.

BJP Tamil Nadu chief Nainar Nagenthran in his speech hit out at the ruling DMK regime for the prevalence of drugs and said the forthcoming Assembly polls is a fight between 'Dharma and Adharma'.

Nagenthran hailed Modi and said this rally is being conducted similar to that was held in January.

"This poll is a fight between dharma and adharma. Dharmam should succeed, and this meeting is indeed the coordinated meeting for that. Let us all unite and win together," he said.

On ganja prevalence in the state, he alleged that students instead of having books, are using ganja. It is due to the "wrong regime" led by Chief Minister M K Stalin.

"This is a bad regime. Even a two-year-old girl and a 70-year-old woman are not safe in Tamil Nadu. Under whose rule are all these atrocities happening? It is under Stalin's rule," he said.

He also said Stalin is focused on making his son Udhayanidhi from Deputy Chief Minister to Chief Minister.

Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam leader TTV Dhinakaran alleged the DMK regime as a "dark era".

"The land of Madurai is renowned for its bravery and wisdom. Whenever we mention Madurai only Pandya kings and the Tamil Sangam come to our mind. In such a kind of land, PM Modi is here with us today," he said.

"In Tamil Nadu there is a dark rule which people do not like. Murder and robbery are taking place everywhere. No safety for children or the elderly. People grieve that in this DMK regime there is nothing other than corruption," he said.

PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss said Tamil Nadu is a cradle of social justice, but the DMK regime buried it.

"People of Tamil Nadu will not forgive them and they will teach a lesson in the upcoming polls," he said.

Ramadoss hailed Modi as an icon of 'social justice' at the rally and extended his gratitude to the PM for announcing to take up the caste census and granting constituency status to the BC commission. PTI VIJ JSP VGN VIJ KH