At AIADMK's Madurai conference, party chief EPS gets 'Puratchi Tamilar' title

MADURAI: In continuing AIADMK's legacy of "revolutionary" titles, its General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami was on Sunday given the 'Puratchi Tamilar' title, making him the "Revolutionary Tamil".

He now joins AIADMK stalwarts, both late chief ministers -- founder M G Ramachandran (MGR) and J Jayalalithaa -- to be called a revolutionary.

While MGR was 'Puratchi Thalaivar', his protege Jayalalithaa was 'Puratchi Thalaivi', both meaning revolutionary leaders. Party workers would often hail them by these titles.

On Sunday, in his first show of strength after being chosen the top leader at the end of a power tussle with the now expelled rival O Panneerselvam, Palaniswami was given the title by a group of priests from various faiths.

Shouts of 'Puratchi Tamilar' rent the air as his colleagues and party workers chanted the new title of their leader.

EPS, as he is known, was elected general secretary in March. The party had then announced holding today's massive state conference in this temple town in a bid to enthuse the party cadre ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, where the AIADMK is seeking to boost its electoral prospects.

In the 2019 Parliamentary elections, AIADMK won just one seat.

The much publicised party conference coincided with its golden jubilee anniversary.

In his address to the thousands of party workers who had converged here from various parts of the state, he trained his guns against the ruling DMK, while billing his AIADMK as the true movement aiding the people.

Seeking to turn the tables on his party's stand on the NEET issue, Palaniswami said the contentious National Entrance-cum-Eligibility Test was introduced during the Congress-led UPA regime, of which the DMK was a key constituent.

His attack came in response to DMK leader and chief minister M K Stalin's son Udhayanidhi's comments targeting AIADMK vis-a-vis NEET.

DMK staging a day-long hunger strike on Sunday seeking its abolition was a drama, he said.

Palaniswami asked DMK leaders -- Stalin and Udhayanidhi -- to not "fool" students.

Palaniswami's remarks came soon after state minister Udhayanidhi Stalin led the DMK's Tamil Nadu-wide hunger strike demanding scrapping of NEET, where the young leader had even challenged AIADMK to adopt an anti-NEET resolution in the Madurai conference.

The Medical Council of India had in 2010 issued a notification regarding NEET, the AIADMK leader said.

He said the Congress was at the ruling saddle at the Centre then, referring to the national party-led UPA government.

Former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad was the Union Health Minister while DMK's S Gandhiselvan was his junior, Palaniswami said.

"NEET came into existence then only. It is on record; can't be concealed. This was concealed (by the DMK). NEET was brought by Congress and DMK," he said.

"Today's fast (by Udhayanidhi) is a big drama. Ahead of the 2021 (Assembly) elections, Stalin said the first signature if DMK would be voted to power will be that regarding scrapping NEET, which Udhayanidhi echoed. They are in their third year (of governance) now. What have you done?" the former CM asked.

"Udhayanidhi, Stalin, don't fool students. NEET was brought by DMK, but the AIADMK tried to resist it. There is huge disappointment against the DMK government among the people. (So, the fast) is a drama. They had brought (the test) and now they want it to be scrapped," he said targeting the ruling party.

Palaniswami listed out the various initiatives of the earlier AIADMK regimes, including winning the legal battle in the Cauvery issue, effective handling of the Covid pandemic, delivering in the education sector among others.

He targeted the DMK government over allegations of corruption, including on alleged illegal liquor bars and lashed out at the party over the ceding of Katchatheevu island in 1970s to Sri Lanka by India.

He said the late M Karunanidhi was the state CM when the then (Congress) government ceded the island to the neighbour.

Citing his own example, he said a grassroots-level party worker can rise through the ranks in the AIADMK.

The conference, attended by the party's senior leaders among others, adopted 32 resolutions.

These included "condemning" Stalin for "falsely" denying that late Jayalalithaa was attacked in the state Assembly in 1989, when she was in the opposition. On the ethnic violence in Manipur, the party insisted the Centre and state governments should put an end to all issues and ensure peace.

Earlier in the day, the AIADMK chief was accorded a grand welcome at the conference venue. He hoisted the party flag atop a 51 feet poll to set off the day's proceedings.

Flower petals were strewn from a helicopter after Palaniswami, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, hoisted the party flag. He was also handed a sceptre.