Stating that hard work and loyalty fetched him the top posts of Chief Minister and the party’s general secretary, AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami told his partymen that they could also achieve the same.
Addressing the party’s golden jubilee conference here on Sunday, the party’s general secretary said that any hardworking and loyal cadre of the party could reach the top posts in the AIADMK. Recalling his own career that started with the AIADMK in 1974, he said: “With the support of the cadre and district secretaries, I became the Chief Minister and later, the general secretary. This is possible only in the AIADMK and no other party.”
Recalling that the AIADMK had ruled the State for 31 years, he said a lot of good things and development happened only under its regime. “Madurai is an auspicious soil and anything that commences from here will result only in victory,” he said. The party’s founder M.G. Ramachandran first won from the Dindigul Lok Sabha seat, which was a part of Madurai district then.
Achievements listed
Highlighting the achievements of his government, Mr. Palaniswami said: “We managed a big drought, cyclone Gaja that destroyed Delta districts and the COVID-19 pandemic very well. We gave relief generously during the cyclone and saved lives during the pandemic with meticulous planning. DMK leader M.K. Stalin used to number the days of our government....But we completed 4.2 years of the term.”
Mr. Palaniswami took credit for declaring Cauvery delta region as a protected special agricultural zone to save farmland from being exploited for hydrocarbon exploration. But it was the DMK that had signed the agreement for the exploration when it was a part of the Centre, he charged.
He also accused the DMK of bringing in NEET in the country when it was a part of the UPA alliance at the Centre. The party is now trying to stage a drama by opposing it.
Alleging that the DMK never took any effort to retrieve Katchatheevu, Mr. Palaniswami said it was now raking up the issue of retrieving the island only because it feared that its government was facing the people’s wrath.
“It is trying to cheat the fishermen to get their votes,” he said.
Earlier, a capacity crowd of AIADMK cadre thronged the venue of the ezhuchi conference. Mr. Palaniswami hoisted the party flag on a 51-foot-high mast, amid loud cheers from the cadre. A helicopter showered flower petals on them.
He was also given a guard of honour and received torches, which were brought by the cadre from different parts of the State. A silver sceptre and ‘vel’ were presented to him.
