Dayanidhi slams Nirmala, calls Annamalai entertainer

Ex Union minister Dayanidhi Maran said that Edappadi K Palaniswami was scared of the BJP because of the cases pending against him and party leaders. Speaking to K KARTHIKEYAN, Maran termed Annamalai an entertainer who does not stand by his words

You are seeking re-election for the fourth term. You must be facing anti-incumbency. What has been the response?

▪ We have been a very good opposition party representing the problems of Tamil Nadu and also the voice of the suppressed, especially the minorities. From day one, we have ensured that our voices were heard in the Parliament for every issue. Be it the CAA or Article 370 abrogation, we have vehemently opposed it. People have recognised it. When I was elected in 2019, there was severe drought. I went to every nook and cranny of my constituency, providing water. Even during COVID, we took the initiative to be with the people. We were the only ones to be with the people even during the floods.

Did the recent floods pose challenges to you as an incumbent MP?

▪ The biggest challenge then was the people were impatient because of power outage. The Chief Minister was very particular that there should be no mishap. People were not angry because they realised that we were with them.

Opposition has been posting videos of you being turned away by people…

▪ Lies have a better impact on peo- ple. The end part of the video was cut. The biggest problem for me is traffic issues. I took it to the knowledge of the CM. A committee headed by the Chief Secretary has been constituted and now, the recommendations have transformed Anna Salai. If the phase II of the metro becomes operational, it will further ease traffic congestion. The Centre is not funding us. It is 50:50. TN govt has put Rs 30,000 crore, the Centre has not released the funds.

One of the major charges against DMK MPs has been raising issues in House…

▪ We, the DMK MPs have been fighting among ourselves to raise questions. Most of the special mentions made by our MPs are about constituency issues. Our MPs are vociferous and active. Take the speeches of all MPs. You will find the animated and emotional speeches of DMK MPs. Can you recollect one such speech made by the AIADMK MPs. I had the guts to tell Amit Shah on his assurance in the Parliament on CAA that it was like devil preaching sermons. CAA would not have been passed if the AIADMK and PMK stood together.

Are you alleging that AIADMK prioritised alliance over public welfare?

▪ Yes. AIADMK leaders were like slaves. BJP had files on them and cases against all top ministers. To save themselves, the selfish AIADMK never bothered about the welfare of Tamil Nadu. AIADMK had a harmonious relationship with the

BJP. What did they bring to TN?

The Port-Maduravoyal elevated corridor is a classic example.

Why do you think EPS is not talking about Modi or BJP?

▪ AIADMK ended its alliance with the BJP. Any party going against the BJP is persecuted. See what happened to the Aam Aadmi Party. In West Bengal, they are harassing Mamata Banerjee. In Karnataka and Kerala also they are harassing. In Tamil Nadu, they are harassing Senthilbalaji. Has any raid happened against the AIADMK?

The ED has now raided former AIADMK minister Dr C Vijaya Baskar?

▪ That raid is a façade. Should he not have been arrested? It is the case of BJP pretending to whack the AIADMK and the latter pretending to cry. Wherever the BJP is contesting, the AIADMK has instructed its cadre to work for the BJP.

But, Annamalai says DMK and AIADMK are working together to defeat him?

▪ Annamalai is a liar. He has no mettle to be a leader. A leader’s words must be respected. He must own up to what he says. Even Seeman does it. Annamalai is a character who says something and disowns it. He is an entertainer who wants to be in the news daily.

But, PM Modi is all praise for Annamalai .....

▪ PM Modi is the biggest entertainer in India. The entire BJP is full of entertainers. Take the case of Nirmala Sitharaman. No one can lie like she does. TN government takes a loan of Rs 5,000 crore from an international bank. It comes through the Centre. Only the state is repaying the loan. They pretend as if they are paying the sum. Nirmala only displays arrogance.

Will her statements influence people?

▪ It will help us instead. Our Chief Minister has responded to it. When Jayalalithaa died in December 2016, she was camping here. She was trying to manipulate and become the CM of Tamil Nadu.

The theory is too far fetched…

▪ BJP thought AIADMK leaders were a bunch of slaves. Nirmala gave a commitment that they would give exemption for Tamil Nadu from NEET then. I raised this in the Parliament itself. She thinks it’s her birth right to become the CM.

What gives the BJP the confidence that it can absorb the corrupt and still win 370 seats on its own?

▪ There is no Periyar in the North. If the north had a Periyar, the people there would have been largely educated. Why is the BJP failing here? We are rationalists. We think and question. BJP does not allow people to question there.

BJP claim that the party and Modi are more accepted in TN now?

▪ A leader becomes acceptable only if he does good for the people. What good has Modi done for Tamil Nadu?.. TESLA was supposed to come to Tamil Nadu. A call was made from Delhi and it was shifted to Gujarat.