EPS says southern districts will ensure AIADMK’s return to power at Madurai NDA rally

Madurai: In a calibrated outreach to the southern districts, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Monday expressed confidence that the region would back the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the forthcoming Assembly election and ensure the return of an AIADMK government in Tamil Nadu.

Addressing an NDA public meeting in Madurai, Palaniswami said the alliance had been formed to “remove the anti-people DMK regime” from office. “Parties with proven public support have joined hands. The southern districts have always stood by the AIADMK at crucial junctures,” he said, invoking the party’s founding leader M. G. Ramachandran and former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa.

Recalling the party’s early electoral success in the Dindigul Lok Sabha bypoll after its formation in 1972, he said the southern belt had historically given the AIADMK its momentum. “In the coming Assembly election too, the people of the southern districts will ensure victory in a majority of constituencies and help form an AIADMK government,” he said.

Palaniswami accused Chief Minister M. K. Stalin of repeatedly alleging that the Union government was denying funds to Tamil Nadu. “These are baseless charges. Development projects worth ₹4,500 crore were inaugurated for Tamil Nadu by Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said, contending that the State was receiving central assistance.

Targeting the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the AIADMK leader alleged that the party functioned with a focus on “family interests” and referred to the 2G spectrum case to underline corruption charges levelled in the past. He also cited observations made in the report of the Sarkaria Commission against an earlier DMK regime.

Drawing a comparison between the two administrations, Palaniswami said 11 government medical colleges were established during the AIADMK’s tenure. He alleged that the present government had not secured approval for any new medical college so far.

He reiterated that the proposal to establish an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Madurai was cleared during the AIADMK regime and that construction work was under way. He accused the DMK of attempting to stall the project earlier. On infrastructure, he said steps had been initiated under his government to facilitate the expansion of the Madurai airport, including plans for an underpass, and alleged that the current government had slowed progress.

With the Assembly election approaching, the meeting underscored the AIADMK’s effort to consolidate its base in the southern districts while sharpening its attack on the ruling party over governance and delivery.