Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Wednesday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the more he visits the southern state for election campaigning, the bigger will be the BJP’s defeat margin.
Speaking at an event in Tiruchirappalli, Stalin said the BJP’s allies are also afraid of the PM visiting Tamil Nadu frequently.
“Since it is election season, the Prime Minister keeps visiting Tamil Nadu; he has already started coming frequently. Even those in alliance with him are afraid of his visits. Do you know why? The more times the Prime Minister visits Tamil Nadu, the greater will be the margin by which the NDA alliance loses here,” the CM said.
The DMK chief also explained the reasons behind his assertion.
“Because every time he comes, the people of Tamil Nadu are reminded that he has done nothing for the state. Even yesterday, at the Union Cabinet meeting, approval was given for the metro rail project in Gujarat. But nothing has been given to Tamil Nadu. Even with elections approaching, there is nothing for Tamil Nadu in the Budget. Not even in the Cabinet meeting were our demands approved,” Stalin stated, reiterating that the demands of the state of Tamil Nadu continue to be ignored by the Central government.
5.67 crore total voters in Tamil Nadu after SIR; over 74 lakh names deleted
‘Tamil Nadu, where all religions live together in unity’
Speaking about the upcoming Assembly Election in the state, Stalin pitched it as a Tamil Nadu versus NDA fight.
Stalin asserted that Tamil Nadu should be governed from Fort St George, not from Delhi.
“The upcoming Assembly election will decide this. The BJP seeks to suppress and weaken Tamil Nadu in every way, because in the list of developed states, the BJP is never present. Where the BJP is in power, there is no development,” the Tamil Nadu CM, who is seeking a re-election in the polls due in March-April, claimed.
He also accused the BJP of playing politics of communal divide, asserting that the people of Tamil Nadu embrace religious harmony.
“Kanyakumari district is a place where people of all religions live together in unity. Recently, during Christmas, attacks on Christians took place across India. In Maharashtra, reservations for backward classes and Muslims have been cancelled. Manipur is still burning. The situation in Assam is even worse; the Chief Minister of that state openly spreads hatred against Muslims. In Bihar, the Deputy Chief Minister has said that meat shops near schools will be removed. Who are they to decide what we should eat? They are trying hard to create such a situation in Tamil Nadu as well. But under our Dravidian Model government, religious harmony and unity are being preserved. In Tamil Nadu, minorities live in safety, the majority live in brotherhood, and everyone is treated equally,” Stalin said, pitching unity and communal harmony as key achievements of his government.
During his address, the Tamil Nadu CM also announced a slew of projects for the Kanyakumari district. These include a new drinking water scheme, a sewage treatment plant, educational assistance for fishermen’s families, etc.