DMK's Stalin roars 'even PM cannot stop Gram Sabha meets' after TN govt orders ban on it

Months ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, the heated campaign season has begun in the state with the ruling AIADMK using the state machinery to block the Opposition's effort. On Thursday, the Tamil Nadu government issued an order directing the district collectors not to allow political parties or individuals to conduct gram sabha meetings. It cited that such meetings are in violation of the Panchayat Raj Act and also warned action against political parties. This order assumes significance as the DMK is currently conducting gram sabha meetings as a part of their campaign, and even after government's warning, DMK chief MK Stalin conducted one such meeting.

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DMK chief MK Stalin spoke at a ‘makkal sabha’ meeting at Marakanam in Villupuram on Friday. Taunting on AIADMK's alliance with BJP, Stalin said that even Prime Minister Narendra Modi cannot stop his makkal sabhas.

“The DMK did not want to create a furore over the issue. So, we had renamed it ‘Makkal Sabha.’ So far, over 35,000 people have attended the meetings in person and two crore participants watched it online. It is the DMK which had insisted that the State provide corona relief amount to people, scrap garbage tax and withdraw Class X board exams,” Stalin said.

DMK launches 'we reject ADMK' campaign

Months ahead of Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, DMK launched a campaign against ruling AIADMK. The campaign is titled "werejectadmk" and the DMK released a video, flagging issues in sectors like agriculture and education as it urged people to defeat the AIADMK in the elections, likely in coming April-May. In a video, DMK chief Stalin said that senior party functionaries will visit over 16,000 villages and wards to conduct "gram sabhas" where resolutions will be adopted against the AIADMK government as part of the campaign. The DMK, out of power since 2011, is making a full-throttled bid to storm back and dethrone the AIADMK.

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Stalin has also stated that celebrities such as Rajinikanth and Kamal Hassan are being forced to join politics and launch parties to ensure that DMK does not win the 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Stalin, who awaits his maiden CM term, has declared that his party will win 200+ seats in the polls. It is to be noted that Prashant Kishor and his team IPAC have been roped in for DMK's campaign.

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2021 Tamil Nadu polls

Two warring factions in AIADMK - of Deputy CM O Pannerselvam (OPS) and CM E Palaniswamy (EPS) - reconciled after the party named incumbent E Palaniswamy as its CM candidate and O Panneerselvam as the chief of the 11-member steering committee. While AIADMK hopes for a coalition with BJP, the saffron party is reportedly in talks with MK Stalin's estranged brother - Alagiri and superstar Rajinikanth - who has often praised PM Modi. AIADMK has already said that it is with BJP in presence of senior BJP leader and ex-party chief Amit Shah. The 234 seats in Tamil Nadu assembly will be going to polls in May next year.

READ | DMK Chief MK Stalin Sets Aim For 2021 Tamil Nadu Polls: 'We Will Win 200+ Seats'