BJP-DMK enacting 'drama' of rivalry, maintaining discreet ties: AIADMK chief

SALEM: AIADMK general secretary and Tamil Nadu Leader of Opposition, Edappadi K Palaniswami on Sunday alleged the BJP and the ruling DMK in the state were "enacting a drama" vis-a-vis their rivalry, but were maintaining discreet ties.

Keeping up the heat over the ruling DMK over the Karunanidhi centenary commemorative coin release event, he questioned Chief Minister M K Stalin's contention that it was a central government event and reiterated that the state government conducted the programme.

"The state government emblem is there in the invitation card that I received. The State Chief Secretary has issued it. It is a state government event," he told reporters here.

The programme held last week saw the participation of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Minister L Murugan and state BJP chief K Annamalai and some other party leaders, he said without naming them.

While the DMK is part of the INDIA bloc, neither Congress' Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul Gandhi nor other party leaders were invited for the event, Palaniswami said and alleged that the DMK was trying to save its "corrupt government" in the state by ensuring the Centre's support.

"To hide all these and to ensure Centre's support, a union minister (Rajnath) was invited and made to release the coin. If we say this, DMK gets angry, BJP leaders also get angry. The DMK is part of the INDIA bloc. Ignoring that, what is the reason to include NDA, that is what people are asking. And I only highlighted this," the former chief minister said.

To a question, he alleged that the BJP and the DMK were "enacting a drama," as if they were rivals.

"Outwardly it looks like they are rivals. But the DMK and BJP have discreet ties," he said and wondered what action has been taken against the Stalin government despite "corruption list" being submitted to the Governor against the government, he said in an apparent reference to the saffron party knocking at the doors of the Raj Bhavan with such plaints.

Palaniswami also launched an attack against Annamalai, especially slamming him for certain remarks made against the AIADMK founder and late chief minister M G Ramachandran, fondly addressed as MGR.

On Annamalai's criticism of the previous AIADMK government, the LoP asked if things were alright when the two parties were in an alliance.

"He had criticised our rule. Didn't you realise that when you were part of the alliance and contested the assembly polls in 2021. You (Annamalai) lost in your own constituency. (BJP) wanted AIADMK for ensuring passage of various bills in the Rajya Sabha. The AIADMK was fine then and looks bad now? This is BJP's duplicity," Palaniswami charged.

He said that despite a lack of revenue during the Covid-19 pandemic, the then AIADMK government implemented a lot of schemes and did not levy taxes.

Further, what schemes did Annamalai bring to Tamil Nadu ever since he took over, despite promising 100 schemes in 500 days if the BJP was voted to power, he asked in an apparent reference to the BJP state chief's poll-time promise made this year as the party's Coimbatore Lok Sabha candidate.