Tiruchirappalli (Tamil Nadu), March 9 Chief Minister MK Stalin of the ruling DMK alleged on Monday that the BJP won the Bihar elections by showcasing Nitish Kumar, and is now sidelining him to install its own nominee as the chief minister there.
Similarly, by using the AIADMK as a "mask," he alleged that it was trying to repeat its Bihar tactic in Tamil Nadu and "capture" the state.
Addressing the 12th state conference of the DMK here, Stalin alleged that AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami, out of selfishness and to become chief minister, turned into the "puppet" of the BJP and mortgaged the party in Delhi. Using Palaniswami, the BJP was trying to destroy the entire AIADMK, he alleged.
A "Saffron" group, a clear reference to the BJP, wants to "capture" Tamil Nadu. The CM asserted that the DMK will prevent this.
"The entire country is witnessing what is happening in Bihar, where the BJP never had a chief minister. They won the elections there by showcasing Nitish Kumar. Now, after winning the elections, they are going to appoint a BJP chief minister after sidelining Nitish. They are trying to do the same in Tamil Nadu. I am making a challenge. The BJP can never rule Tamil Nadu as long as I am around and as long as the DMK lasts," Stalin said.
To gain the state, the BJP was gradually "capturing" the AIADMK, he alleged.
Flaying the AIADMK, Stalin said that the party was not in a position to name its own alliance nor did it have anything to claim as its achievements. But unlike the NDA alliance, the DMK delivered on its promises and sought a second term in office based on its achievements.
"The people are happy because we fulfilled our promises made in 2021," he said. He claimed that it would be "no entry" for the NDA in Tamil Nadu and asserted that he would continue to rule the state as long as the DMK government's welfare initiatives lasted.
"It will always be 'no entry' for the NDA in Tamil Nadu, 'no entry' for the NDA's dysfunctional engine in the state... as long as the welfare schemes we have implemented, Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin will rule Tamil Nadu," he said. The upcoming Assembly elections will see the DMK exposing the BJP by "removing the AIADMK mask" that it is wearing.
"Can people not identify the BJP if the AIADMK mask is used?" the CM asked and hit back at rivals TVK and AIADMK over his 'TN vs NDA and TN vs Delhi' slogan for the Assembly polls.
He lashed out at the Centre for allegedly denying funds due to the state.
Listing out the numerous initiatives of his government, he said that 5.40 lakh male students were provided with a monthly assistance of Rs 1,000 under the 'Tamil Puthalvan Thittam', while a similar aid was being extended to 6.95 lakh women student beneficiaries of 'Puthumai Penn Thittam'. As many as 19.34 lakh children benefited through the CM breakfast scheme.
Also, Stalin listed the monthly grant of Rs 1,000 to 1.31 crore women as among the numerous achievements of his five-year-old rule.
He said that during the 2016-21 AIADMK regime, only 471 MoUs were signed but in the DMK's tenure, about 1,190 MoUs were inked.
"The 7 goals outlined in the run-up to the 2021 polls, in Tiruchirappalli, have been achieved. We have a legacy, we named the state as Tamil Nadu. We are assembled here to take a vow for the DMK to rule forever," he said.
Tiruchirappalli was synonymous with a turning point and a big win for the party he said and used a cricket analogy to emphasise that not only the opening runs but also the boundaries made at the close of the game mattered in securing a victory.
So also the DMK would ensure a resounding win in the 2026 Assembly polls, he said and added that he lived for the people and the party workers.
Turning to the party members he said "tell people, polls are all about TN vs NDA, 2026 polls is all about who is going to win.. for the Tamil Nadu team to emerge victorious request people to vote for the DMK and its allies," he said. "This is the message you must take to the people during the next two months," Stalin added. The DMK cadres should work hard for the candidates of alliance parties as well. "Our strength is not only our achievements and ideology, but also the alliance; this will be the fourth election the alliance is going to face together and that is also a big strength...our victory is TN's victory."
DMK leads the 21-party Secular Progressive Alliance, whose constituents include the Congress, Left parties and VCK.
The next five years of Dravidian model rule will surpass the current DMK regime in terms of its achievements, he said and expressed confidence that the party will assume office for the seventh time following win in the polls. "The BJP's tricks will not work in Tamil Nadu as it will only be us here, only we will win in our soil, we alone will win...even if you perform somersault, use any mask, use any Central agency, TN will always be out of your reach," Stalin said.