DMK, BJP failed to ful l election promises, have only burdened T.N. people: EPS
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Wednesday said both the BJP government at the Centre and the DMK government at the State had failed to full their poll promises, and had “burdened the people of Tamil Nadu”.
Addressing mediapersons at his residence in Salem, he said that of the 520 promises that the DMK made during the 2021 Assembly election in the State, not even 10% was fullled. “But Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has lied during campaigns that he has fullled 98% of them,” he said, adding that river water sharing, drug menace, lack of jobs, and hike in electricity charges, property taxes and prices of essential commodities had burdened the people.
He further said that the BJP, too, failed to full many of the promises made during the 2019 Lok Sabha election. When the BJP came to power in 2014, the prices of petrol and diesel were ₹74 and ₹55 a litre respectively, while that of crude oil was $105 a barrel. “But now, the price of crude oil is $86 a barrel, while petrol and diesel are being sold at ₹102 and ₹94 a litre. The Centre has increased the taxes on fuel and burdened the people,” he added.
The AIADMK leader further said that Cauvery river was a lifeline for the people in 20 districts of the State, and condemned the DMK government for failing to get the State’s share of water from Karnataka every month.
He said the BJP was in power in Karnataka earlier, and now the Congress was ruling the State, but both national parties had refused to give water to Tamil Nadu and supported the construction of the Mekedatu dam. “But Mr. Stalin has failed to even condemn Karnataka, fearing that it will create problems within the INDIA bloc. He did not think about the livelihood of the people; he only wants the alliance to be intact...”
Modi’s visits
Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for visiting Tamil Nadu eight times for campaign, Mr. Palaniswami said, “Not only Mr. Modi, but many Union Ministers have visited the State just during elections. If each Union Minister had inaugurated projects during their visit, the State would have been even more developed,” he said, adding: “Their only goal is to get votes. The visits serve no purpose.”
Mr. Palaniswami further said that the State was facing a serious power shortage, and urged the government to take adequate steps to prevent power cuts. “It is a fact that whenever the DMK forms the government, power cuts happen,” he added.