Chennai, Oct 5:
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Sunday made a final appeal to voters in Madurantakam and Dharapuram to back the party in Tuesday’s by-elections, saying the verdict should send a strong message against alleged political poaching, betrayal and horse trading.
Addressing voters ahead of the October 6 polls, Palaniswami alleged that repeated attempts had been made to weaken the AIADMK and its two-leaves symbol through conspiracies and inducements. He urged voters to use the bypolls to “deliver justice” by voting for the AIADMK candidates.
Palaniswami said he had faced more political conspiracies than many other leaders because of his humble background. “I am not the heir of a big politician or a major cinema star. I am one among you,” he said, stressing that he understood the problems faced by ordinary people.
He said the two-leaves symbol represented the identity of the AIADMK and recalled the role played by former Chief Ministers MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa in building and safeguarding the party. Referring to Jayalalithaa’s assertion that the AIADMK would survive for 100 years, he questioned whether efforts to protect the party and its symbol could ever be considered a mistake.
Palaniswami further alleged that attempts to weaken the AIADMK were being made to serve the interests of individuals. He also claimed that the ruling establishment was attempting to lure AIADMK MLAs through horse trading.
Referring to the Karur stampede and the AIADMK’s support for TVK president and Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay over the issue, Palaniswami questioned whether the party’s stand had prompted attempts to draw away its MLAs.
He called upon voters in both constituencies to ensure that the bypoll verdict became a lasting lesson for those involved in what he described as political poaching and betrayal, and urged them to vote for the AIADMK’s two-leaves symbol.