The ruling AIADMK on Sunday kick-started its campaign for the 2021 Assembly election, with its co-coordinator and Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami pitching his government’s “achievements” against the DMK’s “unimplementable promises”.
On the occasion, the party, through its second-line leader K.P. Munusamy, also sent out a strong message that the AIADMK was not in favour of a “coalition government” after the election.
Addressing a public meeting at the YMCA Ground at Royapettah here, the Chief Minister gave an account of his government’s achievements in the last four years. With 41% of higher secondary students in government schools, the 7.5% horizontal quota had helped 313 of NEET-qualified government school students join M.B.B.S. and 92 pursue B.DS. Last year, only six such students secured admission to medical courses. When 11 new medical colleges start functioning next year, the figure would rise by 135.
“The 7.5% quota was not demanded by the Opposition or people. It was conceived by us,” he reiterated.
Mr. Palaniswami faulted the DMK for not honouring the Lok Sabha election promise of waiver of jewel and farm loans. “They [the DMK] are conducting a false campaign now by providing assurances that cannot be fulfilled,” he alleged.
He also harped on the point that his party was the only organisation that “pays respect to every worker”. AIADMK leaders were “not from landed gentry”. Instead, “they are all of the modest background”. Unlike in other parties where leaders would expect their children to succeed them, the AIADMK rewarded those who were loyal to the party and the leadership, he contended.
The Chief Minister insisted that the DMK’s memorandum to Governor Banwarilal Purohit levelling corruption charges against him and his ministerial colleagues was “full of lies”. According to him, the memorandum included one tender which was cancelled last year.
The mausoleum for Jayalalithaa on the Marina and the memorial house — Veda Nilayam — would be thrown open to the public shortly, he said.
Party coordinator and Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam criticised the DMK for having “forsaken” the State’s rights on the Cauvery and not taking steps to get the water level of the Mullaperiyar dam raised, despite having shared power at the Centre.
On the contrary, though the AIADMK was not a part of the Union Ministry, it was able to get 11 medical colleges sanctioned, besides securing approval for establishing an AIIMS in Madurai. “We are getting the Central government’s nod for schemes that are doable and beneficial to people. This is why we are supporting the Central government,” he contended.
Other leaders said the legacy of the party founder M.G. Ramachandran was “time-tested” and “enduring”.
Almost all the senior AIADMK leaders and Ministers attended the event. But representatives of the AIADMK’s allies were not present, despite the Chief Minister having reiterated that his party’s alliance remained intact. But Electricity Minister P. Thangamani told this correspondent recently that the event would be only an AIADMK affair.
Though the party’s release had called upon the cadre to adhere to personal distancing in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, a large number of workers who came for the meeting violated the safety protocol.