Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and general secretary of the AIADMK Edappadi K. Palaniswami, on Thursday, April 4, 2024, trained his guns at DMK’s A. Raja, T.N. Youth Welfare Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin and Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin, accusing them of corruption and blaming them for protecting drug smugglers in the State.
Speaking at an election rally in Udhagamandalam, Mr. Palaniswami said that Nilgiris Lok Sabha M.P., A. Raja, who is contesting again in the upcoming elections, had been accused in the ₹1.72 lakh crore 2G spectrum scam. “He is someone who was lodged in jail by the Congress government when both the Congress and DMK had an alliance. He can even commit fraud with things you cannot see [telecom spectrum], just as the DMK commit scams out of thin air,” said Mr. Palaniswami.
“We do not know whether he will be here [in the Nilgiris], or whether he will be there,” said Mr. Palaniswami, alluding to the Central Bureau of Investigation’s appeal against Mr. Raja’s acquittal in the 2G spectrum case.
Showing pictures of M.K. Stalin and Udhayanidhi Stalin posing with alleged drug kingpin Jaffer Sadiq who was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) recently, Mr. Palaniswami said that the people were demanding answers from the DMK as to what ties they had with Sadiq. He also accused the DMK of criticizing the Opposition due to a lack of implementation of schemes, and went onto list a number of projects that he claimed were first unveiled by the AIADMK government, such as the Ooty Government Medical College and Hospital, the Ooty Bus Stand and others.
He also said that former Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa had a special affection for the residents of the Nilgiris, and that the AIADMK’s work in the district had turned it into a bastion for the party. Mr. Palaniswami was campaigning for Lokesh Tamilselvan, the AIADMK’s candidate for the Lok Sabha seat from the Nilgiris.
