AIADMK engulfed by fear of defeat, says Stalin

Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday said the AIADMK was engulfed by the fear of defeat and hence the party was engaging in drama to cover up defeat.

Talking to media persons after casting his vote in the company of his wife Durga at a polling booth in SIET College in the city, Stalin said, “AIADMK was engulfed in the fear of defeat (in elections). To cover it up, they had engaged in a drama (in Coimbatore) to cite false reasons for the defeat.”

Stalin was responding to a specific query on the incidence of AIADMK members led by former local administration minister S P Velumani being arrested by the city police after staging a sit-in protest in Coimbatore collectorate on Friday.

“No incident took place in Coimbatore. A minister from the area engaged in excesses during the previous AIADMK regime. It has been controlled after regime change. AIADMK MLAs led by former local administration minister Velumani had staged a sit-in protest in Coimbatore collectorate yesterday. They insisted on continuing the protest till para-military forces turned up. Nothing happened there to necessitate para-military force presence. They organised the protests because they are engulfed by the fear of defeat,” the CM added.

Asked if the urban local body election will be a referendum for his nine-month-old government, the CM said, “Indeed. Definitely. Let there be no doubt that. Reports have been received that people were turning up to support us with more enthusiasm than what they did in the Assembly polls. It will be obvious when the results are out.”

On (delay in) implementation of gold loan waiver scheme, Stalin said,

“The previous AIADMK regime had engaged in numerous irregularities like disbursing loans without jewels and with fake jewels in violation of the rules. In some places, people have availed loans using empty bags. We are identifying and streamlining them. That is the truth.”

The CM also exuded confidence that the DMK led alliance would win all 21 corporations in the state.