Modi is non-resident PM of India: Stalin

Setting the stage for his meeting with TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, DMK president M K Stalin on Thursday launched a frontal attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking to know whether black money, corruption and nepotism have been abolished in India as promised in 2014 elections.

Addressing a public meeting on the second anniversary of demonetisation in Ariyalur, 300 km from here, Stalin tore into the BJP for “promising the moon” in the 2014 elections and delivering nothing at the end of the five-year tenure.

"During the 2014 election campaign, Modi promised to eradicate poverty, black money, corruption and joblessness in the country. All these are present in India, except Modi. We have heard of Non-resident Indians, but have you ever heard of Non-resident Prime Minister? Modi is a non-resident PM,” Stalin said.

Modi has travelled 84 countries in the past four-and-a-half years and spent Rs 1,484 crore on these trips. “The prime minister promised growth and is increasing petrol and diesel prices every day your definition of growth? The government has embraced every project that the BJP opposed when it was in Opposition during UPA rule,” he said.

Stalin’s attack on the BJP came on the eve of his meeting with the Andhra Pradesh chief minister.

Naidu, who is pitching for unity among Opposition parties to take on the BJP in 2019 elections, will fly to this Southern metropolis on Friday for detailed discussions with Stalin, who has taken over as DMK chief following the death of his father M Karunanidhi in August. With the DMK firmly behind the Congress, Naidu will discuss the need for all political parties opposed to the BJP to come on a single platform ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The DMK has already announced that its alliance with the Congress will continue for the 2019 polls. The two parties have been in an alliance for the past 14 years, except for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.