AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami launched a scathing attack on the ruling DMK government, declaring it would be "on a ventilator" within the next six months, a clear reference to the impending 2026 Assembly elections.
The ruling government is pinning all its hopes on former minister V Senthil Balaji, he said, taking a dig at the DMK, at an election campaign on late Friday evening.
"He (Senthil Balaji) has been held in jail for over 450 days," Palaniswami stated. "And now, no one is going to step forward to save those government officials who have been backing him. But, in the next six months, the people of Tamil Nadu will take the right action against the DMK; it will be on a ventilator, just like a patient."
He claimed that if an AIADMK functionary performs well in a district, Senthil Balaji and his associates immediately file false cases against them. "When we return to power next year, we will address this properly through the Courts. We will take action against those who filed false charges against our party members," he assured.
Palaniswami highlighted his own loyalty to the party, noting he has been with the AIADMK for over 51 years since he first joined. "You can stand with me. I will stand with you in such cases," he promised.
He, further, observed that a 'ganja culture' is rapidly spreading throughout the district. "As the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, I have repeatedly brought this issue to the government's attention," he said. "But it has been neglected, and now this ganja culture is widespread. I've told him (Chief Minister MK Stalin) this, yet he has failed to take action."
Addressing the crowd, Palaniswami then questioned whether any new development projects had been implemented in the district. "In the last four years, have they (the DMK) introduced any major projects for this district?" he asked, adding that projects initiated by the AIADMK are now progressing at a "snail's pace."
"Those projects which we introduced are valued at ₹490 crore. This will largely increase the water table in the state, benefiting the farming community. But, after the DMK came to power, the project is now going on at a snail's pace," he said.
He said the AIADMK during its regime had launched four new projects to save the surplus water in the district, but it was dropped by the DMK soon after it came to office in May 2021. "We will take those projects again when we come to power next year," he said.
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