The narratives set by these two parties have narrowed down the poll battle between them and almost eclipsed the election campaign of other players such as Congress, the Left parties, and Seeman’s NTK.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin. (X)
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami’s soft approach towards BJP seems to have given the edge to DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin in making it a poll issue.
Stalin’s double-barrelled gun aims shots at both AIADMK and BJP, often provoking Palaniswami to become a vocal critic of BJP.
The narratives set by these two parties have narrowed down the poll battle between them and almost eclipsed the election campaign of other players such as Congress, the Left parties, and Seeman’s Naam Tamilar Katchi, though BJP state chief K Annamalai fires sharp barbs at DMK.
Palaniswami’s argument that the need to criticise the BJP doesn’t arise as the AIADMK parted ways with the saffron party does not hold water with the ruling dispensation.
Faced with constant criticism, Palaniswami, who in the past has not been harsh in criticising his erstwhile colleague and former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, is forced to respond.
Nor has he been critical of VK Sasikala, who was expelled from AIADMK.
During the electrifying campaign triggered by a “photo war,” Stalin’s Minister son Udhayanidhi flashed a viral photograph of Palaniswami seeking Sasikala’s blessings.
Responding to it, the AIADMK general secretary said there was nothing wrong in seeking elder’s blessings.
“Palaniswami claims he is against BJP but doesn’t criticise it. For the sake of remaining in power, he made our students write the NEET, supported the three farm laws, and even claimed that he was prepared to debate farmers’ problems. He sported a green shawl and deceived the ryots,” the Chief Minister said during his election campaign.
Likening Palaniswami to an attorney general, the DMK leader said Palaniswami supported the CAA and claimed that no Muslim was affected by it. But this was contrary to truth, Stalin asserted.
Wondering why the DMK failed to question when the BJP, despite being in alliance with AIADMK, contested in the civic polls on its own, Palaniswami retorted saying Stalin deserved a Nobel prize for uttering lies on fulfilling his 2021 election promises.
The national parties, be it Congress or BJP, needed the regional parties only at the time of elections and ignored them after the poll.
“That’s why the AIADMK did not have an alliance with those parties. We should function independently and stand on our own feet and protect our rights,” he said in Chidambaram.
“The DMK leaders displayed their aggression against the Prime Minister by setting up epic narratives against the BJP but ended up surrendering absolutely when they meet Modi,” Palaniswami said flaying Stalin and Udhayanidhi.
As both the Dravidian majors are making the 19 April Lok Sabha election a straight contest between them, the Vanniyar-dominated Pattali Makkal Katchi drew flak from DMK and AIADMK for forging an opportunistic alliance with BJP.
(Disclaimer: The headline, subheads, and intro of this report along with the photos may have been reworked by South First. The rest of the content is from a syndicated feed, and has been edited for style.)
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