AIADMK leader EPS calls for massive victory to oust DMK in 2024 polls

In a fervent address on the eve of the AIADMK party’s 52nd foundation day, Edappadi K Palaniswami, the general secretary and leader of the opposition in Tamil Nadu, issued a rallying cry to the party’s dedicated cadres. His impassioned plea was for them to work tirelessly and secure an overwhelming victory in all 40 parliamentary seats in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry during the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Palaniswami believes that a resounding triumph in the 2024 elections will pave the way for the removal of the “evil force,” referring to the DMK, from power in the state. He urged the party’s members to keep this goal at the forefront of their efforts and to work diligently to achieve it. “We should take an oath on the 52nd foundation day of the party to end the incompetent DMK government that gave up the rights of the state in Cauvery, caused several problems to the people and led the state to lawlessness,” said the former Chief Minister. He pointed out the significant rise in electricity tariffs, property taxes, milk prices, and construction materials during the 29 months of the DMK regime. Furthermore, Palaniswami criticised the state government for its handling of issues such as the sale of arrack and contraband substances like Ganja, which have reportedly been prevalent across the state. He sharpened his attack by highlighting that the Tamil Nadu assembly, which should protect democracy and its values, has instead descended into a quagmire. He also emphasised the history of the AIADMK, a party that emerged as a breakaway faction of the DMK in 1972. Its primary objective was to end what they perceived as an “evil force” and to protect the interests and welfare of the people. After coming to power in 1977, under the leadership of the party’s founder M G Ramachandran, the government implemented several people-oriented welfare schemes.