Chennai, March 27 Asserting that the ruling DMK has fulfilled nearly 85 per cent of its 2021 election promises, compared to the previous AIADMK regime's implementation rate of less than 33 per cent, party legislator Ezhilan Naganathan defended the state government's track record on Friday, while blaming the Union government for the non-implementation of certain key pledges.
Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters, Anna Arivalayam, the DMK MLA, stated, "In the 2021 manifesto, we made 505 promises and fulfilled almost 404 promises. Nearly 85 per cent of the promises were fulfilled by the DMK's Dravidian Model rule," Naganathan said.
Seeking to draw a sharp contrast with the principal opposition party, the legislator claimed the previous government's track record was poor. "But if you look at the 2016 AIADMK manifesto, the implementation was not even 33 per cent," he alleged.
Acknowledging that some assurances remain unmet, he attributed the delay to hurdles created by the central government. "Regarding some demands you mentioned, because of the Union government's resolutions and Parliamentary legislation acting as hurdles, we have openly stated why they were not fulfilled," he explained.
Dismissing reports of friction within the DMK-led alliance, the legislator described the coalition as a bond based on ideology. Responding to allegations of the DMK dominating its partners, Naganathan said, "What you call a Big Brother attitude, we can call a brotherly attitude," adding that it is a sense of brotherhood.
He criticized AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami for mocking the DMK's alliance talks, remarking that the opposition's alliance was being directed from the national capital. "Edappadi has no right to talk about our alliance because our alliance is decided by our leader, our honourable chief minister in our party headquarters," he said.
He contrasted this with the AIADMK's discussions, which he claimed were held in Delhi under Amit Shah's guidance.
Responding to a query on the Union government's decision to cut petrol and diesel excise duties, the DMK leader termed it an election stunt. He accused the ruling BJP at the Centre of reversing policies only when faced with electoral pressure. "So, all the recall activities of Modi are always electorally related," Naganathan said. He added that introducing a tax and taking it back is a recall rather than reform.