Minister blames Stalin’s ‘overdrive’ for spread

Chennai

Senior AIADMK leader and Dairy Development Minister KT Rajenthra Bhalaji on Tuesday asked Stalin not to politicise coronavirus handling anymore and urged him to go in for a self-imposed political quarantine. Stalin has done more harm as a political leader by asking the party cadre to give relief in coronavirus hotspots. Further because of ill advice to the party man, the DMK has lost an MLA to COVID-19. When Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami is pitching in for the concept of stay at home, Stalin campaigns for “Ondrinaivom vaa,” asking the cadre and students to come out and it has increased the spread of virus in Chennai, Bhalaji said. He added that Stalin has attended several functions during the lockdown for which public are asked to gather.

The cheap politics of asking the cadre to convene public during a lockdown period shows the poor understanding of Stalin while dealing with a contagious disease, the Virudhunagar strongman, who was recently stripped of his district secretary post said.

The suggestion to the Chief Minister’s office asking him to take over the portfolio of Health from Minister C Vijaya Baskar and change a few officials has taken a backseat due to Stalin’s statement. “If Stalin had genuinely wanted the CM to take over the health portfolio, he should have been silent. Now, how can we lobby for what Stalin is asking for,” rued the senior.