DMK President Stalin incompetent to be leader, says TN CM

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Saturday once again dared DMK president M K Stalin to debate with him on corruption and said the party chief was not competent to be a leader.

Campaigning here for the forthcoming Assembly elections in the state, Palaniswami said Stalin has no courage to face the AIADMK directly and was trying to only defame the ruling party by diverting the people's attention by making false promises through grama sabha meetings.

While AIADMK was facing the people with its successful welfare schemes, DMK has no achievements to put forward and was enacting a drama in the name of grama sabha meetings, the Chief Minister said.

Stalin failed to respond to a query from a woman, who was thrashed in the city a month ago when she questioned him on welfare schemes during a grama sabha meet, Palaniswami said.

While 13 former DMK Ministers were facing corruption charges, Stalin wanted to have a debate on corruption, the Chief Minister said.

Palaniswami said he had come from the grassroots-level and become the Chief Minister but Stalin rose to the present post in the DMK because of his father who was a Chief Minister and party president.While AIADMK top leaders like M G Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa fought for the rights and cause of the common people, Stalin's father worked for his family, he alleged.

If the DMK returned to power, there would be no peace in the state. Vacant land would be grabbed by the party workers as was the case during the previous regime, he said.Stalin, who was criticising Tamil Nadu government but praising Kerala and Delhi over the handling of the coronavirus pandemic, was silent now after the government managed to control the spread. This was appreciated even by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Palanisami said.The Chief Minister visited the Koni Amman Temple, the presiding deity of the city, Perur Math and interacted with Jamaath leaders here.