SALEM: Leader of the opposition and joint coordinator of AIADMK Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday urged police and election officials to remain impartial during the urban local body elections. "Or else, they would have to face dire consequences," he warned. Palaniswami campaigned for his party candidates at Vazhapadi, Ayothiyapattinam and Yercaud town panchayats.
He said the AIADMK had approached the Madras high court and got a judgement to prevent any irregularities during the conduct of the local body elections. "If any official indulges in malpractices during the poll time, it would be considered as contempt of court and there won't be any guarantee for their jobs," he warned.
The former CM alleged that the ruling DMK is trying to capture the local bodies through short-cuts by threatening a few opposition candidates through police. Palaniswami accused DMK and Congress for introducing NEET in 2010 and they were responsible for the deaths of several medical aspirants till date. He charged the DMK government with corrupting in Pongal gift hampers. "Several people did not receive 21 items as announced," he said, adding that more than Rs 60 crore was swindled in the procurement of cloth bags used for the distribution of Pongal gift hampers.
He also accused Stalin and Udhayanidhi Stalin of cheating people by giving false assurances, including abolition of NEET and waiving of gold loans up to five sovereigns. "DMK waived loans only to 13 lakh people and asked 35 lakh people to pay ₹12,000 as interest to get back their pledged gold," he stated.
