The AIADMK co-coordinator and Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, Edappadi K. Palaniswami, on Tuesday alleged that the ruling DMK was behind the withdrawal of sections of AIADMK candidates from the electoral fray for the urban local bodies and the rejection of nominations of some other nominees of his party.
Addressing a meeting in Virugumbakkam here, Mr. Palaniswami accused the DMK of intimidating his party’s candidates and proposers of candidates so that the nominees withdrew from the fray or their nominations got rejected. He complained that the ruling party, which was indulging in “politics of deception,” was acting out of the fear of losing the elections so that it could win the polls through shortcuts. This was because the DMK had not done any good for the people, he contended.
Pointing out that rural local bodies’ elections were held in 27 districts in December 2019 when he was Chief Minister, the AIADMK co-coordinator recalled that in two wards of a panchayat union, falling under his Assembly constituency, his party’s candidates lost the election narrowly. At that time, he firmly rejected any suggestion for intervention in getting the results changed.
Referring to the claim of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin that he [Mr. Palaniswami] had no right to speak about the law and order situation because of the occurrence of a heist-cum-murder at former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s Kodanad estate bungalow during his innings as Chief Minister, Mr. Palaniswami, who addressed another meeting in Mylapore, said that his government had booked a case against those who were said to be responsible for the incident whereas lawyers, owing allegiance to the DMK, were defending those accused in the case.
While campaigning in Egmore, the Leader of the Opposition termed the DMK government “dictatorial” for filing cases against those who criticised the regime.
The AIADMK on Tuesday announced the expulsion of 10 functionaries in Tirunelveli, Kallakurichi, Ramanathapuram and Tiruppur districts from the party. The action was taken as some had withdrawn their nominations in favour of the DMK nominees for the urban local bodies’ polls, others were found working for the DMK, and another group were contesting as independents against the party’s candidates, according to a release from party leaders O. Panneerselvam and Edappadi K. Palaniswami.
