Exuding confidence that the INDIA bloc would register a resounding victory in all the 39 constituencies of Tamil Nadu in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, principal secretary of MDMK Durai Vaiko has said that the BJP, which was rapidly losing its sheen after having failed on all fronts of governance, has pinned its hopes only on tampering with the electronic voting machines for its victory in 370-odd segments.
Speaking to reporters here on Tuesday, Mr. Durai Vaiko said the BJP government at the Centre had lost its sheen after encountering failures on all fronts even as the INDIA bloc had been gaining people’s trust across the country. Even though a few parties had left the alliance, the INDIA bloc was strong enough to hand a crushing defeat to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. Hence, the INDIA bloc candidates would register a thumping victory in a majority of the Lok Sabha constituencies across the country.
“However, the BJP is pinning its hopes on tampering the EVMs,” he said. He said the MDMK was hoping to contest in four Lok Sabha constituencies and the party cadres wanted him to contest from Virudhunagar. “However, the alliance party leaders’ decision will ultimately prevail,” he said.
Mr. Durai Vaiko, who lauded the State Budget presented in the Assembly on Monday, said the State government had presented a development-oriented and welfare Budget despite the financial crisis being created by the Union Government by denying the State its due share in the GST revenue. While the Union government’s obstinacy had denied Tamil Nadu its right share in the GST collection, the recent floods had caused a loss of over ₹37,000 crore. Despite repeated appeals from the Tamil Nadu government for releasing Central assistance, the Narendra Modi-led government had not given even a rupee towards the flood relief operations and rehabilitation work.
“Even though the fiscal situation is so challenging due to the Centre’s step-motherly treatment that has caused huge tax revenue loss to Tamil Nadu, Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu has presented an epic Budget which will take the State to greater heights in all spheres. He has done a wonderful job by keeping the fiscal deficit under control while managing to allocate sufficient funds for all departments to ensure social justice,” Mr. Durai Vaiko said.
He said the State Government, after contributing a large sum to the Central exchequer through GST, was waiting indefinitely for getting its due share and had to mobilise its own funds for all its expenditures to be incurred in development projects and the welfare schemes.
On behalf of MDMK’s Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Tenkasi, Kanniyakumari and Virudhunagar districts, ₹2.32 crore was handed over to Mr. Durai Vaiko as election fund. Of this, Tirunelveli City district secretary of MDMK K.M.A. Nizam handed over ₹35 lakh.
