The landslide victory for the DMK and its allies in the recently-concluded urban local bodies elections is a reflection of the abundant faith the people had in the government, going by the governance during the last nine months, said Chief Minister and DMK president M.K. Stalin here on Sunday.
Unveiling the bronze-made life-size statue of ‘Kalaignar’ M. Karunanidhi at the party office here in the presence of Lok Sabha MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, Tamil Nadu ministers Geetha Jeevan, K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran, Thangam Thennarasu, Raja Kannappan, Anitha Radhakrishnan and Mayor N.P. Jagan, among other dignitaries, Mr. Stalin said the victory had set a new benchmark in the history of the DMK as people had totally stood by the party in the civic polls.
Assuring the people of Tamil Nadu that the DMK would live up to the expectations, he said, “This is the time for all of us to come together and work for uplifting the standards of living of the common man. I expect every one among us to be more responsible. Infighting should be a thing of the past. I expect self-discipline and dedication among all of us,” he stressed.
Expressing his displeasure over the manner in which some functionaries had indulged in the conduct of indirect elections by neglecting the high command’s diktat, Mr. Stalin said it not only caused an embarrassment to him but also led to unwanted remarks from the allies.
Taking a pledge in front of the late leader’s statue, he hoped that from now on, the party, especially, those elected to the urban local bodies, would resolve to be responsible, conduct themselves in a dignified manner and accord prime importance to self-discipline.
The elected representative should look at their victory as a responsibility bestowed upon them by the citizens of Tamil Nadu and not to view it as a power given to them. Quoting C.N. Annadurai, he said, “Go to the people, serve the people and live with the people,” should be the motto.
He said he had the opportunity to unveil the statue of Kalaignar in Chennai, Erode, Kancheepuram, Murasoli office in Chennai, but he was feeling elated to unveil the statue here in Thoothukudi as this was the first city where he addressed the party workers after the mega victory of the DMK in the civic polls. He also showered encomiums on late N. Periasamy, who was responsible for the party’s growth in this part of the State.
The DMK party had organised presentation of ‘porkizhi’ award to as many as 300 people on the occasion and Mr. Stalin gave away the award to 10 persons on the dais. He was accorded a rousing reception by the partymen enroute and the city was decorated with illuminated lights at vantage locations.
After an overnight halt in the city, Mr. Stalin is expected to lay foundation stone for the ‘furniture park’ and also launch a solar power plant at SPIC complex on Monday. Later in the noon, he would drive to Nagercoil and return to Madurai by evening, from where, he would take a flight to Chennai around 8.30 p.m.
