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AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Sunday asserted that there are no differences within the AIADMK alliance, even as he launched a sharp attack on the ruling DMK during his visit to southern Tamil Nadu.
Palaniswami arrived at Thoothukudi Vagaikulam Airport from Chennai to campaign across the Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari, Sankarankovil, and Kovilpatti regions. Addressing reporters at the airport, he dismissed speculation about alliance instability. "There is not even a minor issue in the AIADMK alliance," he said, contrasting it with what he described as prolonged disagreements within the DMK-led front. Targeting the ruling party, he claimed that the DMK alliance took "23 days of negotiations" to finalise seat-sharing, with differences between DMK and Congress lasting nearly 18 days. He also pointed to reported dissatisfaction among MDMK cadres as evidence of internal friction. On governance, the AIADMK leader accused the DMK government of failing to respond promptly during crises. Referring to recent heavy rains in southern districts, he said, "Despite warnings from the Meteorological Department, the DMK government failed to take appropriate action. During our regime, immediate steps were taken by appointing IAS officers as soon as alerts were issued." He further alleged lapses in urban infrastructure, stating that 80 per cent of the Buckle Oda drainage project in Thoothukudi had been completed during the AIADMK rule. "If the remaining 20 per cent had been finished, the impact could have been reduced," he said. Raising concerns over law and order, Palaniswami cited the murder of a Class 12 student in Thoothukudi as an example of deteriorating conditions. He also criticised the DMK leadership for not personally visiting affected areas during the recent floods. On political developments, he responded cautiously to actor Vijay's "two-cornered contest" remark, saying the actual scenario would become clear only after the results. Reaffirming his party's outreach strategy, Palaniswami said the AIADMK plans to tour all districts in Tamil Nadu to directly engage with voters and seek support ahead of the elections. Tamil Nadu will go to the polls in a single phase on April 23, with counting scheduled for May 4. (ANI)
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