Madurai (Tamil Nadu), March 1 AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Sunday criticized the ruling DMK government over alleged corruption and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his efforts to develop Tamil Nadu.
At an NDA rally here in Mandela Nagar, he said that PM Modi has been providing excellence and good governance at the Centre.
The NDA has commenced its campaign in Tamil Nadu, while the DMK and its alliance partners have yet to begin their campaign, the AIADMK chief said.
"If one says, Madurai, what comes to mind is the famous Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple. We are holding our second campaign here (after Madurantakam in January). The assembly elections are approaching. It will decide who should rule Tamil Nadu and who should not," he said.
Palaniswami emphasized that infrastructure projects such as the Pamban Bridge, AIIMS, and 11 medical colleges were only sanctioned to Tamil Nadu during the NDA regime.
Taking a dig at the ruling DMK government, he appealed to the gathering to end the DMK's family rule and ensure the victory of the NDA in the upcoming assembly polls.
"Anti-people governance must be removed. The NDA is an alliance formed for that very purpose. All the parties that have people's support are present here today. We must all ensure the victory of NDA candidates in the 234 assembly constituencies," he said.
BJP Tamil Nadu chief Nainar Nagenthran in his speech criticized the ruling DMK regime for the prevalence of drugs and said the forthcoming Assembly polls is a fight between 'Dharma and Adharma'.
Nagenthran praised Modi and said this rally is being conducted in a similar manner to that held in January.
"This poll is a fight between dharma and adharma. Dharma should succeed, and this meeting is indeed the coordinated meeting for that. Let us all unite and win together," he said.
On the prevalence of ganja in the state, he alleged that students are using ganja instead of studying. This is due to the "wrong regime" led by Chief Minister M K Stalin.
"This is a bad regime. Even a two-year-old girl and a 70-year-old woman are not safe in Tamil Nadu. Under whose rule are all these atrocities happening? It is under Stalin's rule," he said.
He also said that Stalin is focused on making his son Udhayanidhi from Deputy Chief Minister to Chief Minister.
Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam leader TTV Dhinakaran alleged the DMK regime as a "dark era".
"The land of Madurai is renowned for its bravery and wisdom. Whenever we mention Madurai, only the Pandya kings and the Tamil Sangam come to our mind. In such a kind of land, PM Modi is here with us today," he said.
"In Tamil Nadu, there is a dark rule that people do not like. Murder and robbery are taking place everywhere. There is no safety for children or the elderly. People are grieving that in this DMK regime, there is nothing other than corruption," he said.
PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss said that Tamil Nadu is a cradle of social justice, but the DMK regime has buried it.
"The people of Tamil Nadu will not forgive them, and they will teach them a lesson in the upcoming polls," he said.
Ramadoss hailed Modi as an icon of 'social justice' at the rally and extended his gratitude to the PM for announcing to take up the caste census and granting constituency status to the BC commission.