Stalin’s son targets PM; Swaraj, Jaitley daughters protest

A poll campaign speech made by DMK chief M K Stalin’s son Udhayanidhi Stalin attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi kicked up a controversy on Thursday.

During his road show at Dharapuram on Wednesday, a day after Modi’s campaign there for BJP state president L Murugan, Udhayanidhi said: “Modi had come here yesterday and accused that I had taken a shortcut route… Who is saying that? Being the Chief Minister of Gujarat, we know that how Modi sidelined many… I have the list”.

He then went on to name party veterans L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Yashwant Sinha (who recently joined Trinamool Congress); Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley. He claimed Swaraj and Jaitley “died of troubles” for which he blamed the Prime Minister.

As videos of Udhayanidhi’s speech circulated, Swaraj’s daughter Bansuri Swaraj Thursday tweeted to register her protest. “Udhayanidhi ji, please do not use my mother’s memory for your poll propaganda! Your statements are false! PM Narendra Modi ji bestowed utmost respect and honour on my mother. In our darkest hour, the PM and party stood by us rock solid! Your statement has hurt us,” she wrote tagging his father Stalin and the BJP.

Later in the evening, Jaitley’s daughter Sonali Jaitley Bakhshi also tweeted: “@Udhaystalin ji, I know there is election pressure – but I won’t stay silent when you lie & disrespect my father’s memory. Dad @arunjaitley & Shri @narendramodi ji shared a special bond that was beyond politics. I pray you are lucky enough to know such friendship…”

Udhayanidhi, who is leading roadshows across the state for several weeks, said that he wasn’t “scared” of Modi like E K Palaniswami or O Panneerselvam. “I am Udhayanidhi Stalin, Kalaignar’s grandson…,” he said, referring to the late M Karunanidhi, to cheering crowds.