BJP will stoop to any level for Lok Sabha poll victory: Stalin

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday said that the BJP will stoop to any level to win the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Addressing the members of DMK general council, which met here and unanimously elected him party president for the second time this morning, Stalin said, “We are at a crucial juncture. The Lok Sabha election is inching closer. We should win all 40 seats and emerge as a crucial force at the national level.”

Asking his party workers not to be slack in the run up to the LS polls, he said, “BJP will do anything. BJP will stoop to any low level for victory in the ensuing Lok Sabha election. Since they have nothing to claim credit for, they will spread lies about us for polls.”

’BJP is exploiting AIADMK infighting to its political advantage’

Accusing the ruling BJP of trying to exploit the infighting in AIADMK to its political advantage, the DMK president said that lack of proper and competent leadership have caused a four way split in the AIADMK. Remarking that any party would flourish only with able leadership, Stalin said that the BJP, which has nothing to brag about in its eight years in power at the Centre, and a disintegrating and withering AIADMK, will spread lies and try to denigrate the DMK regime. “Our achievements will be our response to them. I am confident we will get 40 out of 40 seats,” Stalin said, instructing his functionaries to set up booth committees for LS polls from now.

’Set up booth committees for LS polls’

Urging them to complete the setting up of booth committees in two months, the DMK president said that the longevity of the newly-elected representatives would depend on their performance. “Your performance in your roles will decide your continuance in positions. People who worked for 10 years were allowed to continue. In fact, KN Nehru told me that I have turned soft. Some have been accommodated out of sympathy. Newcomers have been denied opportunities because of that. I heard some functionaries do not talk to each other. Such selfish people scuttle the growth of the party.”

Cautioning that he would monitor the conduct of executive committee meetings at various levels and monitor the performance of various wings of the party, Stalin said that the party and its ideology are larger than individuals.

’I wake up in fear daily’

Sparing a thought to subtly reprimand the loose cannons in the party, the Chief Minister said, “I wake up every morning in the fear that no new problem should be created by anyone, including seniors in the party. I am unable to sleep properly because of that.”

Apparently referring to the reckless public statements of a couple of seniors of late, Stalin said, “No one should act against the interest and reputation of the party. Conduct of some of you in public has affected us. Your every moment is monitored these days. There is a third eye watching you always. Apart from the toilet and bedroom in our house, every place in our life is a public place now. So, I earnestly request you to be wary of it. You should be cautious in what you say not only in public, but even privately to someone. Responding to them will be our full time agenda if we keep foul mouthing. We should not give room to our rivals who want to blow things out of proportion to defame the government.”

The DMK president also asked the party workers to popularise the performance of the government, especially the welfare schemes that have reached every citizen, through campaigns.