Kancheepuram (Tamil Nadu), March 30 DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin launched his election campaign here on Monday, asserting that the election is a battle to oust AIADMK chief Palaniswami.
The election is about preventing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah from gaining power, he said.
Launching his campaign here in the hometown of DMK founder leader CN Annadurai (1909-1969), Udhayanidhi, addressing a large rally, recalled his father and party chief MK Stalin's statement that the upcoming election is a fight between Tamil Nadu and Delhi, and asserted that the BJP should not be allowed.
Alleging that AIADMK chief Palaniswami is "Modi's slave," Udhayanidhi claimed that the Leader of the Opposition's "ideological mentors are Modi and Amit Shah."
Therefore, the Assembly election is all about "ousting" AIADMK chief Palaniswami. "Can we allow Modi and Amit Shah in Tamil Nadu?" he asked, adding that people would not allow it.
Furthermore, he said, "In this election, we must prove that Tamil Nadu is always beyond the control of Delhi. Tamil Nadu must completely sideline the BJP, which is betraying the state. This must be done."
He listed out the welfare schemes of the DMK regime, including the Chief Minister's Breakfast Scheme and the scheme for free bus travel for women.
He also listed out infrastructure projects implemented for Kanchipuram and appealed to people to support the DMK's 'Rising Sun' symbol.
Udhayanidhi visited Anna's memorial and paid floral tributes to the party icon before launching his campaign.
He said while he started the campaign from Kanchipuram, Chief Minister Stalin is set to launch the campaign from Tiruvarur on Tuesday, the hometown of DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi.
However, Palaniswami started his campaign from Mylapore, a constituency in Chennai allocated to the BJP.