AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami responded to claims made by TVK leader Aadhav Arjuna regarding the Edappadi Assembly constituency, pointing out that he won the seat with the highest victory margin in Tamil Nadu during the last election, while his party secured seven out of 11 seats in Salem district.
Addressing recent political developments, Palaniswami criticized the present TVK-led administration, claiming that the Public Works Department (PWD) Minister—who was previously with the DMK and later the VCK—had attempted to join the AIADMK prior to joining TVK. Palaniswami further cited the Karur tragedy in which 41 people died, alleging that the TVK party office remained closed for 15 days following the event and accusing Arjuna of leaving for another state during that period.
Evaluating the state’s administrative and economic performance over the past four months, the AIADMK chief stated that the current government came to power accidentally and has largely renamed existing schemes established by previous AIADMK administrations. He noted that the price of rice has risen by ₹15 to ₹20 per kilogram over the four-month tenure, with no intervention from the state government to curb inflation in essential commodities.
Palaniswami also questioned the financial priorities of the administration, highlighting plans to construct a new Secretariat building at an estimated cost of ₹1,200 crore despite mounting state debt. He added that the designated site for the proposed project is situated in a coastal area inhabited by local fishing communities. Addressing television personality and TVK chief Joseph Vijay’s recent visit to the Mettur Dam, Palaniswami remarked that while the dam was originally constructed at a cost of ₹4.50 crore, an equivalent amount was expended merely to open the facility for water release.
Regarding Vijay’s recent official trip to London, Palaniswami demanded that the government issue a White Paper detailing the exact volume of foreign direct investment attracted. He asserted that the Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) signed during the tour involved enterprises that were already operating within Tamil Nadu and across India.
Palaniswami further brought attention to public health, power procurement, and law enforcement concerns across the state. He reported that 14,000 people in Tamil Nadu are currently affected by dengue without adequate government control measures. On power management, he alleged that the state has decided to purchase electricity at ₹30 per unit—up from a previous rate of ₹18 per unit—alleging an embedded commission of ₹4 per unit. In terms of state security, Palaniswami stated that 250 murders have been recorded over the past four months, reflecting a decline in law and order.
Looking ahead to upcoming political contests, Palaniswami expressed confidence that the AIADMK would secure victories in the two upcoming Assembly constituency byelections.
Sources
[1] The Hindu – National, “PWD Minister tried to join AIADMK before TVK: Edappadi K. Palaniswami” (https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/pwd-minister-tried-to-join-aiadmk-before-tvk-edappadi-k-palaniswami/article71485526.ece)
Source: The Hindu – National
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Story synopsis gathered from: The Hindu – National — source
