Ramadoss switches alliances every election: Palaniswami
AIADMK general secretary compares the PMK founder to a Vedanthangal bird that comes in search of water and leaves once it dries up, he stresses AIADMK is not dependent on alliances
IADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Saturday said PMK founder S. Ramadoss had the habit of switching alliances every election, and described the latter as a Vedanthangal bird that comes in search of water and leaves once the water dries up.
Addressing reporters, Mr. Palaniswami said, “In an interview, Mr. Ramadoss had given zero marks to the BJP government, but has now forged an alliance with them. In the 2019 and 2021 elections, the PMK was a part of the AIADMK alliance and we were unable to win in both. As far as the AIADMK is concerned, it is not dependent on alliances. The AIADMK lasted over 50 years and provided several welfare schemes to the people over 30 years of its rule.”
He also formally introduced the party’s Salem constituency candidate, P. Vignesh, before functionaries at the AIADMK’s party office near Omalur.
On the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Mr. Palaniswami said that the party would be unable to comment without knowing the facts of that case. After the DMK came to power, cases were registered using the DVAC
Aagainst former AIADMK Ministers. Similarly, when the AIADMK was in power, the Income Tax Department had conducted raids. Based on a case registered by the DMK government, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has now conducted raids at former Minister C. Vijayabaskar’s house, he said.
New faces
To a query on announcing new faces for the election, Mr. Palaniswami said, “When I contested in an election at the age of 33, I was also a new face. It is by introducing new faces that the party will grow, and people are expecting this. Based on that, we have elected candidates and announced their names. Eligible candidates have got the chance to contest the elections”.
Regarding BJP Tamil Nadu president K. Annamalai’s claim that he would not spend even one rupee in the election, Mr. Palaniswami said that the latter had made the remark only to create ripples.
“The media should follow him. It is not possible to do anything without spending money, and electioneering cannot be done without spending money, even for campaigns” Mr. Palaniswami said.
Contending that Salem's DMK candidate T.M. Selvaganapathy was a betrayer, Mr. Palaniswami said that the AIADMK had made him an MLA, an MP, and a Minister. But, he joined the
DMK by betraying the party and is now contesting in this election. The people of Salem would teach him a lesson.
On Sunday, the AIADMK and its alliance partners would start the election campaign in Tiruchi, he added.
Candidate change
The AADMK, in a release, announced that it had replaced its Tirunelveli candidate Shimla Muthuchozhan with M. Jhansirani, Thisayanvilai town panchayat’s chairperson.
Though the release did not mention any specific reason, the lack of support of the party’s local unit for Ms. Muthuchozhan was said to be one of the factors for the replacement.