ARAVAKURICHI: Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday said time has come for Tamil Nadu to choose between the ‘corrupt’ DMK-Congress alliance and AIADMK-PMK-BJP alliance which is contesting the poll for the progress of Tamil Nadu.
Campaigning for BJP candidate K Annamalai at Aravakurichi, Shah said, “Our alliance wants the progress of Tamil Nadu and youth in the state to get employment. But DMK leader M K Stalin wants his son Udhayanidhi Stalin to become chief minister of Tamil Nadu. I ask people whether you want growth or Udhayanidhi Stalin.” He said the Prime Minister has made special allocation of Rs 1.60 lakh crore in the recent budget towards the progress of Tamil Nadu.
At Velayuthampalayam, where he held a road show, Shah said he had come there to show his gratitude “for the love people of Aravakurichi have showered on BJP and our candidate Annamalai.” He appealed to voters to give a resounding victory for Annamalai calling him "the most honest candidate in the poll fray across Tamil Nadu".
The road show turned out to be a confluence of BJP cadres from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu with a sizable number of supporters being from Karnataka. People were brought in from neighbouring villages on mini trucks. As the vehicle carrying Shah began to move, Annamalai told the crowd that “the Iron man of India who you would have seen only on TV is amongst you.”
G Uzhavan Vijay, 34, Namakkal youth wing secretary, said it was tough to educate people on BJP as many were not aware that Annamalai is contesting on lotus symbol as they were habituated to DMK or AIADMK. S Panchavarnam, 37, from Aravakurichi who came wearing a sari with BJP’s colours for the road show, had voted for DMK in the last election. “Annamalai was good at his job as a police officer. He has come here leaving his job to do good to his native place," she said.