DMK, BJP failed to bring development to TN: Palaniswami

Chennai: AIADMK General Secretary and former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) on Wednesday lashed out at the DMK and the BJP, saying that both have failed to honour the poll promises they made.

Speaking to media persons at his residence in Nedunchalai Nagar in Salem he condemned both the parties for increasing the burden of the people”.

EPS said that of the 520 promises that DMK made during the 2021 Assembly elections, it had fulfilled less than ten per cent.

He charged that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin was "blatantly lying" to the people of Tamil Nadu during his election campaigns. He said that the claim of CM Stalin that he had fulfilled 98 per cent of the promises was a blatant lie.

EPS said that the people of the state were anxious about Tamil Nadu turning into a drug hub under the DMK government and added that the state government has failed to curb the drug menace.

He pointed out that river water sharing, increase in the prices of essential commodities, lack of job opportunities, hikes in electricity charges and property taxes have all burdened the people.

The AIADMK leader came out strongly against the BJP also and charged that the party failed to fulfil many of the promises it made during the 2019 Parliamentary election.

He said when the BJP came to power in 2014, the price of petrol and diesel was Rs 74 and Rs 55 a litre respectively, while the price of crude oil was 105 dollars a barrel.

EPS said now the price of crude oil is 86 dollars a barrel whereas petrol and diesel are being sold for Rs 102 and Rs 94 a litre.” He added that the Central government has increased tthe axes on fuel.

He came out strongly against both the DMK and the BJP on the Cauvery river issue. He said that Cauvery is the lifeline of people in 20 districts in Tamil Nadu, and condemned the DMK government for failing to get the state’s share from Karnataka.

He said earlier it was the BJP government in Karnataka and now the Congress is there but both the national parties had refused to give water to TN.

EPS charged that CM Stalin has failed to even condemn Karnataka on the Mekedatu dam issue fearing that it would create problems within the INDIA bloc.

He took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for visiting the state eight times for election campaigning.

EPS said ,” Not only Modi, but many Union Ministers have visited the state only for the elections. If each Union Minister had inaugurated projects during their visit, the state would have been even more developed,”