Claiming that the AIADMK government was committed for the welfare of the people, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has asserted that the government would complete its full term and no one could destabilise the government or destroy the party.
Addressing MGR centenary celebrations here on Saturday, he said having inherited the legacy of party founder leader MGR and former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, he and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam were fully committed for the welfare of the people and strived for the continuance of ‘Amma’ rule.
After the demise of Jayalalithaa, he and Mr Panneerselvam took up the mantle to save the party and government after scores of cadres supported them, he said. “As long as we enjoyed the support of the cadres, who had the blessings of MGR and followed the footsteps of Amma, no one can destroy the party and destabilise the government,” he said.
He had ascended to assume the office of Chief Minister, the highest position thanks to the patronage and support of scores of party men, he claimed. He rose to this level after 43 years of hard work, he said adding it was a reward for his loyalty to MGR and Ms Jayalalithaa.
Hitting out at DMK working president M K Stalin for alleging deterioration of law and order in the State, the Chief Minister claimed that the State remained a haven for peace and people were fully satisfied with the governance.
People were well aware as how law and order was maintained when the DMK was in power, he said and reeled out statistics of murders and various crimes that took place during the DMK regime. People returned the AIADMK back to power in 2016 as they had faith in the party in maintaining law and order.
Mr. Palaniswami also criticised DMK senior leader Duraimurugan for levelling corruption charges of ‘thousands of crores’ in the Public Works Department (PWD). On his charge that ₹5,000 crore spent by the PWD had disappeared from the State, the Chief Minister said the amount was very much in the State in the form of buildings and irrigation works and development schemes but they would not be visible to the DMK leader, who always thought about corruption, he said.
Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister offered prayers at Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple in Madurai.