Don't dream of splitting AIADMK, CM tells Stalin; accuses DMK of dynasty politics

AIADMK top leader and Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Wednesday hit back at DMK president M K Stalin for claiming that the ruling party was headed for a split and said the dream of breaking up the ruling party would become a mirage.

He slammed the arch-rival for 'dynasty' politics and urged people to reject it. Referring to Stalin's claim, Palaniswami said not even a single AIADMK worker could be 'touched,' dismissing scope for divisions or split in the party. "Stalin says the AIADMK will split.

Our party will not go apart. You cannot touch even a single worker. AIADMK is a lively, robust party. You are attempting to create confusion in the AIADMK. That will never happen. Try to save your party first," he said in his poll campaign in this district.

"Don't dream of breaking the AIADMK. Such a dream will turn out to be a mirage," he added. Assembly elections are likely during April-May 2021 in Tamil Nadu. From an ordinary branch secretary of the AIADMK in a village, he grew through sheer hard work and rose through the ranks to become the Chief Minister, Palaniswami said.

Stalin, however, did not grow in DMK through work, he alleged. His father Karunanidhi was the Chief Minister and DMK president and this factor enabled his growth without actually working for it, Palaniswami said.

Stalin had on Tuesday claimed there was confusion in the AIADMK over the Chief Ministerial candidate and it would lead to a split. Palaniswami said while AIADMK's late Chief Ministers, M G Ramachandran, and J Jayalalithaa considered the people as their heirs and ran the government for their welfare, "there is another party that is being run for their children."

Accusing Stalin of "changing colours speedier than a chameleon," the Chief Minister said the leader of the opposition in the assembly remembered people only during elections. "Should only Karunanidhi, Stalin and his son Udhayanidhi rule Tamil Nadu?...could no other person from outside of their family lead Tamil Nadu (as Chief Minister)?" he asked.

The upcoming, 2021 Assembly election should be utilised by the people to keep a "full stop to dynasty politics and there must be no room for it hereafter," Palaniswami said. In AIADMK, any party worker could become the Chief Minister and this is possible only with his party, he said and urged the people to deliver justice.

Also, he slammed the DMK as an 'unruly party' and recalled allegations against party men involved in some alleged incidents of violence over the years. If this was the situation when the DMK was not in power, what kind of a scenario could unfold if it managed to capture power, he asked the people and wanted them to reject the party and vote for AIADMK's two leaves symbol to ensure the continuance of good governance

. Palaniswami accused the DMK of not 'fulfilling' its promises in the past when it won the assembly polls. "In 2006, DMK said they will give two acres of land for landless farmers. They did not provide the land," he said. Recalling allegations of land grabbing during the 2006- 11 DMK regime, he urged the people to teach a lesson to the opposition party.

The Chief Minister listed a slew of welfare measures of his government and quick measures to combat the coronavirus pandemic and natural calamities like the recent back to back cyclones.