New entrants to politics will vanish soon: Stalin

TNNKarur: Chief minister M K Stalin launched a scathing attack on the AIADMK and BJP on Wednesday, charging that AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami has surrendered himself to Union home minister Amit Shah. He hit out at ‘new entrants,' stating that they would vanish soon. "EPS has changed his party's philosophy from `Annaism' to `Adimayism' (slavery) and has completely surrendered to Union home minister Amit Shah,'' Stalin said in his address at DMK's Mupperum Vizha in Karur. He has mortgaged AIADMK to the BJP, he said.Recalling EPS statement that it was BJP which safeguarded AIADMK govt after the demise of late chief minister J Jayalalithaa, Stalin said the BJP was furious because DMK ousted the ‘puppet govt' in 2021. Hence, BJP was posing hurdles to DMK govt, he said. "But we are not scared of the threats,'' Stalin said.He charged that it was the ‘saffron ideology' that was obstructing TN's growth for centuries. The BJP imposed Hindi, thrust NEET on TN students, denied funds for schools, attempted to erase rich heritage and in the name of voter list correction, tried to rob voting rights, Stalin said. "DMK govt was ‘courageously' opposing all the ‘anti-people actions' of the Union govt. On the other hand. EPS has signed a charter of servitude to BJP,"' he charged. Referring to EPS's meeting with Amit Shah, he said, "After falling at his feet, what is the need for a handkerchief to cover the face?" While the attack on AIADMK and BJP was direct, Stalin criticised TVK president Vijay without naming him. "Every party that vowed to eliminate DMK has vanished. Even now, some claim to be an alternative to DMK and bring about a change. What are they going to change? Are they going to change the economic progress we are making,'' he asked. He said those who proposed to bring change have only vanished, because there was no better ideology than what was followed by DMK.Drumming up support for former minister V Senthilbalaji who oversaw the preparation to this event, Stalin said he has emerged as a formidable force in western TN. "This is why they tried to jail him, because they could not stop him," he said.Party seniors including MPs Kanimozhi, A Raja, Tiruchy Siva, state ministers, MPs, and MLAs were present at the event. Party general secretary Durai Murugan did not attend due to health concerns, said DMK functonaries. As many as 50 awards were presented to party veterans, including Kanimozhi who received the Periyar award. Earlier, Stalin paid floral tributes to the statue of Periyar in Trichy and then held an ‘informal' roadshow there for a short distance.