EPS denies CM Stalin’s charges on condolence for Jayalalithaa

CHENNAI: AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) on Monday said that every year he and his party cadre were paying tributes to the late chief minister J Jayalalithaa and party founder MG Ramachandran at their memorials on the Marina. Palaniswami’s remarks came when Chief Minister MK Stalin questioned whether AIADMK had organised any condolence meeting for Jayalalitha.

“In addition, we have installed Amma’s statue at the Higher Education Department campus,” he said adding similarly, an official order was also passed to pay respect to Jayalalithaa’s statue every year.

With regard to CM Stalin’s remarks that the release of a commemorative coin to mark Karunanidhi’s birth centenary in Chennai was a central government function, Palaniswami claimed that in the invitation there was no mention of the concerned central government department.

“In addition, the Chief Secretary had invited many persons,” he said adding Congress leaders such as Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi could have been invited. Similarly, the AIADMK leader said that no leaders from the ally parties were present on the dais.

Stating that instead of getting funds for the economic growth of Tamil Nadu by attending the NITI Aayog meeting, organised by the Centre, Palaniswami said he (Stalin) called BJP leaders for his father’s coin release function.