AIADMK MLAs themselves don't talk to Palaniswami, says Stalin

Stalin's comments come in reply to Palaniswami's claim that 10 DMK MLAs are in touch with him

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Friday tore into the AIADMK interim general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami saying a person who holds a "temporary post" in his own party has no right to criticise another political party.

His comments come in reply to Palaniswami's claim that 10 DMK MLAs are in touch with him.

Stalin also said Palaniswami’s claims were nothing but lies spread deliberately to show his existence to the people of Tamil Nadu, and asked DMK cadres not to worry about such "baseless lies" and instead concentrate on "doing good" to the general public.

Speaking at the wedding ceremony of the son of Commercial Taxes Minister P Moorthy in Madurai, Stalin said Palaniswami should realise that his own party MLAs don’t talk to him.

Also Read | 10 DMK MLAs in touch with AIADMK: Palaniswami

"While we are working to make Tamil Nadu the no.1 state on all fronts, Edappadi K Palaniswami has enacted a comedy. He has said DMK MLAs are talking to him. AIADMK MLAs themselves don’t talk to him (Palaniswami). When your MLAs don’t talk to you, you are trying to spread a lie that our MLAs are in touch with you," Stalin said in his speech.

He was referring to Palaniswami’s interaction with reporters on September 7 during which he claimed that 10 DMK MLAs are in touch with the AIADMK. In response to Palaniswami’s claims, DMK organising secretary R S Bharathi had said 50 AIADMK MLAs are in touch with his party.

Stalin said the AIADMK, which has tasted defeat in every election held after J Jayalalithaa’s death in 2016, is now split into two factions and Palaniswami’s interim general secretary post itself was “temporary.”

"How can a person who holds a temporary post in his own party criticise another party? EPS enacts such comedies to remind people that he is in the state and that he is alive. We shouldn’t worry about any such things. We have no time to do good to the people. I don’t bother about the lies being spread by others and I don’t have time to think about such lies," Stalin said.

In his long speech, Stalin spoke about the “achievements” of the 16-month-old DMK government and asked cadres to work towards solving the problems of the people who voted for the party and its alliance partners.

Palaniswami’s comments on September 7 came in response to a claim by DMK MP DNV S Senthilkumar that three AIADMK seniors are in touch with the party to jump ship.