EPS silent on Tamil Nadu issues, unfit to be even opposition leader, says MK Stalin

SIRKAZHI/CUDDALORE: While AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami continues to bring Karunanidhi’s name into the election campaign, chief minister M K Stalin on Tuesday said EPS has lowered the standards of political discourse. “He is not fit to be even opposition leader,” he said in Sirkazhi.Stalin accused EPS of staying silent on issues affecting TN, including the alleged imposition of a three-language policy, delimitation, constitutional amendments, and action against churches and Christian charities through changes to the FCRA act.He said EPS failed to defend Tamil Nadu because “BJP from Delhi has taken AIADMK and Palaniswami on lease.” He alleged Palaniswami became chief minister in 2017 by “auctioning MLAs at Koovathur”. Accusing EPS of surrendering the state’s rights to BJP to escape corruption cases, Stalin said AIADMK has been reduced to “Amit Shah DMK”.Targeting the Centre, Stalin said TN did not figure among the top states in major Union infrastructure schemes despite being one of India’s most industrialised states and a leading contributor in taxes. He criticised Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis for saying Madurai would get a metro rail project only if BJP won, calling it political blackmail. “Anyway, what authority does Fadnavis have to make such a promise,” he said.At Cuddalore, Stalin shared the stage with VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan and DMDK general secretary Premallatha Vijayakanth. He said TN’s growth rate rose from 0.07% under the AIADMK regime to 11.19% under DMK; global media has described TN as a “superstar state”. He condemned PM Narendra Modi’s recent remark that free bus travel for women reduces profits of metro rail. “This shows the PM doesn’t care about women’s advancement. If NDA comes to power, they will stop this scheme,” Stalin said.