You can't even win as councillor, Edappadi Palaniswami hits back at TN BJP chief Annamalai

CHENNAI: The simmering tension between AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami and State BJP president K Annamalai came out in the open, with Palaniswami warning him of being careful while speaking about the party.

It was the AIADMK who introduced the BJP’s symbol (Lotus) to the people here in 1998. The party faced leaders such as late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi. “Now, a new person (Annamalai) has come to destroy the AIADMK saying he will eradicate the party after the Lok Sabha elections. Thambi Annamalai, AIADMK is a party created by God, this party that has seen your father and forefathers. You, who couldn’t even become a councillor, are now saying that you will destroy the AIADMK,” Palaniswami said while campaigning in Salem.

Annamalai, whom he termed as a “Delhi appointment”, should be careful while speaking about the AIADMK, Palaniswami said. “AIADMK is a party ruled by cadres. If you insult it, our cadres will teach you a lesson.”

Referring to the infamous police firing which killed 13 anti-Sterlite protesters during the EPS regime, the DMK said, “When the media questioned EPS about the atrocity, he casually said that he learnt about it from television (reports). Is it fair on the part of a person holding the office of the Chief Minister to make such a statement?”

Remarking that the statements of the Kodanadu murder cum heist case accused exposed the deceit of EPS, the DMK wondered if one could forget how EPS allotted tenders to his relatives during his tenure.

Citing EPS’ support to the one nation, one election proposal of the BJP, the DMK said that EPS who surrendered the interests of the State to the BJP was attempting to garner the support of the minorities by claiming to have snapped ties with the BJP.

“People of Tamil Nadu will never forget the treachery of Edappadi K Palaniswami. The people of Tamil Nadu are gullible enough to believe EPS has secret ties with the BJP, “ the DMK added.

Accusing EPS of protecting the accused in the Pollachi sex racket and allowing the conduct of NEET in Tamil Nadu, the DMK said that the UDAY Scheme, which was resisted by Tamil Nadu till Jayalalithaa was alive, was accepted by EPS.

Subscribing to UDAY Scheme imposed Rs 40,000 crore debt burden on the electricity board of the Tamil Nadu government and strained the finances of the State, the DMK said that it was for this reason that Chief Minister MK Stalin called EPS a person being subservient to the BJP.