Congress, DMK leaders brainstorm how to loot: PM Modi

Targeting the DMK and Congress as he launched BJP's campaign for Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleged that the meetings of the two parties are like “Corruption Hackathons” during which their leaders “brainstorm how to loot.” He also accused the DMK and Congress of putting the interests of their respective “first families” over the welfare of the state and country.

Addressing a public meeting in the industrial city of Coimbatore, Modi termed as “classic example” of cooperative federalism the way the ruling parties in Tamil Nadu and at the Centre – AIADMK and BJP – are working. The Prime Minister devoted a considerable portion of his speech to list out initiatives that his government have taken to “protect” the interests of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), and the textile sector.

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He also spoke about the frequent power cuts during the 2006-2011 DMK regime and reminded people about their “sufferings.” As the state gets into election mode, Modi tore into the DMK and Congress on corruption and dynastic politics. He also invoked late J Jayalalithaa asking people to think about how the DMK, which talks about the safety of women, treated her.

“Sadly, leaders who troubled Jayalalithaa Ji have been rewarded by DMK and Congress,” Modi said, adding that the assembly elections are happening at a critical moment of Indian history. “In the last few years, the people of India have given a strong message and spoken that they want development-oriented governance,” he added.

Contending that the nation was witnessing two distinct styles of politics today, Modi asked people to compare between Opposition's misgovernance with corruption and NDA's governance with compassion.

“The Opposition style of politics is based on bullying and harassing. Both methods are very different. For Opposition, what matters is personal gain. DMK and Congress meetings are like Corruption Hackathons. Their leaders sit and brainstorm how to loot,” Modi said, in a harsh attack on the two parties.

BJP, which is making a concerted effort to emerge as a major player in Tamil Nadu, has announced that it will contest the assembly elections in an alliance with the AIADMK. Western Tamil Nadu, under which Coimbatore falls, is considered a stronghold of the AIADMK and the breeding ground for BJP.

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Further, the Prime Minister attacked the Congress and DMK for suffering from internal contradictions and alleged that both parties have tried to “launch and relaunch their respective first families” but to no success.

“There is continuous family drama there! They cannot deliver good governance to Tamil Nadu...DMK has lost the right to be called an All Tamil Nadu party. The last time they won a full majority on their own in the state was 25 years ago,” he said in his speech.

Modi further said the NDA stands for regional aspirations and national progress while listing out the “reforms” that the NDA Government has brought in in the farm sector.