Chennai, Sep 18 (IANS) AIADMK General Secretary and Leader of Opposition in Tamil Nadu Assembly Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) on Thursday hit back at Chief Minister M.K. Stalin for what he termed as “childish” remarks over his recent meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi.
Addressing reporters, EPS said his political opponents were deliberately attempting to malign him with baseless allegations and sensationalised reports.
EPS pointed out that he had campaigned across 153 constituencies and sensed strong public anger against the DMK government.
“I understood from the protests that people want this anti-people government to go. The next Assembly election will see AIADMK return to power,” he declared.
On the controversy surrounding his Delhi visit, EPS said: “I travelled with senior party leaders and state MPs. I met the Vice President at his residence in the morning and later went to see Amit Shah at night in a government-owned car. As I stepped out, I wiped my face. That moment was filmed and turned into a political issue. This is shameful and painful.”
Rejecting charges that he was hiding his face, EPS said, “There is no need for me to cover my face when meeting Amit Shah. The meeting was transparent. It is only T.T.V. Dhinakaran who once entered AIADMK with a mask.”
He added that the Union Home Minister praised his political growth and made it clear that the BJP would not interfere in AIADMK’s internal matters.
EPS also accused Stalin of double standards. “When in Opposition, he waved black flags against Prime Minister Modi. Today, he shows white flags. The CM, who called Senthil Balaji corrupt, later made him a minister. He once alleged Balaji and his brother looted Karur; now he pretends he is clean,” he said.
He further ridiculed the Chief Minister’s stance on NEET, alleging that Stalin misled the people with false promises.
“He came to power by lying about NEET. Even Udhayanidhi’s so-called ‘secret’ on NEET has vanished,” EPS said.
Highlighting his demands to the Centre, EPS said he had urged Amit Shah to confer the Bharat Ratna on freedom fighter Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar. “AIADMK is a party that carries people in buses, not one that splurges thousands of crores. Where does the Chief Minister go when he travels abroad? People deserve to know,” he added.
–IANS
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