SALEM: Terming the upcoming Parliamentary election as a fight between good and the evil, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami stressed the need for a strong political leader to lead the 130-odd crore Indians. Palaniswami was in the town as part of a whirlwind campaign tour on Friday. 

Before addressing a gathering, he introduced ally DMDK’s Kallakurichi Lok Sabha seat candidate L K Sudhish and Salem’s AIADMK candidate for general election K R S Saravanan. Hitting the campaign trail from Salem, the chief minister said the AIADMK-BJP-PMK-DMDK mega alliance has set its sight on making Narendra Modi the Prime Minister again. Later, the chief minister campaigned for the alliance at Karumandurai, Puthiragoundanpalayam, Vazhapadi and Ayothiyapattinam, before leaving for Dharmapuri district.

Meanwhile, during his campaing the Chief Minister stopped and paid respects during the Azaan call in a mosque.

Pooja to poll trail

Palaniswami sought blessings at the Vettri Vinayakar Temple at Karumandurai in Salem before hitting the campaign trail. 

Later, while distributing pamphlets to Karumandurai residents, the chief minister said that stability at Centre was imperative to ensure peace and safety of people. 

“Narendra Modi has proven he is capable of ensuring peace and people’s safety. It is all the more important that he remains the prime minister,” the chief minister said. 

Pulwama attack
Reminding the electorate of  the Pulwama attack and the strong response from the Indian Air Force (Surgical Strike on February 26), the chief minister stressed how India was enveloped by non-friendly neighbours. 

The chief minister heaped praises on the prime minister for bringing back Wing Commander Abhinandan, held captive by Pakistan.

‘DMK against TN’s welfare’
Training his guns on the DMK, he pointed out that the principal Opposition had squandered its chance of serving people by making false promises. “While M K Stalin is hopping from street to street making false promises, did his party do anything for the people when his party was in power?” The chief minister said that DMK stalled AIADMK’s measures to uplift the people by raking non-issues. 

Welfare measures

Questioning whether the DMK ever allotted the promise two-acre each to farmers, he contrasted his tenure with that of the principal Opposition. He said this was his second visit to Karumandurai as CM. He said the AIADMK government had ensured basic amenities, including road, electricity, a government hospital with 24 beds and schools to the area. He promised that a 900-acre veterinary park would be established on 
Kootu Road.