AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami addressing a gathering at Rasipuram in Namakkal district on Friday.
| Photo Credit: E. LAKSHMI NARAYANAN
Former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Friday alleged that Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin was lying about Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s first speech in the Assembly about free bus passes for school students.
The AIADMK general secretary was addressing a meeting as part of his Makkalai Kaappom, Thamizhagathai Meetpom campaign at the Rasipuram Assembly constituency.
Listing out the achievements of the AIADMK regime, Mr. Palaniswami said that the Deputy Chief Minister claimed that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin only first spoke in Assembly to give free bus passes for the school students. But the truth is in 1989, Congress MLA A.S. Ponnammal asked the government in the Assembly whether it is consider giving free bus passes for the school and college students. Replying to this, the then Transport Minister M. Kannappan answered no. It proves that the Deputy Chief Minister is allegedly uttering a lie.
The Chief Minister says that he will not let Tamil Nadu bow its head. But already at the national level, the DMK and its former Union Ministers made Tamil Nadu bow its head due to its alleged corruption. The corruption is rampant in all departments in Tamil Nadu after DMK came to power. Poor people are unable to get proper treatment in government hospitals.
In the Seerkazhi government hospital, 27 pregnant women were affected by the wrong treatment.
Alleging that all taxes and power tariffs were hiked and prices of essential items skyrocketing in Tamil Nadu under the DMK regime, Mr. Palaniswami said that in Madurai Corporation, corruption allegedly took place to the tune of ₹200 crore in tax collection. The Madurai Corporation mayor’s husband was arrested, five zonal chairmen were resigned and officials were arrested. Similarly, in many corporations, corruption allegedly took place.
After AIADMK comes to power, these corruption allegations will be investigated and erring officials will be punished. Drugs are allegedly available in very place and DMK party cadres are selling the drugs.
Claiming that even ministers are unable to meet the Chief Minister, Mr. Palaniswami said, “I am easily approachable and people may reach me from Rasipuram in just 40 minutes.” After AIADMK comes to power again in 2026, the people’s welfare schemes stopped by DMK will be implemented again, he added.
Later speaking at Senthamangalam amid rain, Mr. Palaniswami said that due to the 7.5% internal reservation provided by the AIADMK government in medical colleges, now 2,818 students have gotten the opportunity to study MBBS.
Published – September 19, 2025 10:35 pm IST
