Narendra Modi flays DMK and Congress, praises MGR and Jayalalithaa

PALLADAM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit out at DMK and Congress on Tuesday but heaped praises on AIADMK icons MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa signalling that BJP was keeping the option of allying with AIADMK open.

Speaking at the valedictory meeting of BJP state president K Annamalai’s ‘En Mann En Makkal’ padayatra at Madappur near Palladam in Tamil Nadu’s Tirupur district, Modi said MGR was lauded as an incomparable leader by the people of TN because he had given good education and public health.

“He came to power through good deeds, not through dynasty. But the DMK is insulting him today,’’ Modi said, noting that he visited MGR’s place of birth in Sri Lanka during his recent trip to the island nation.

“After MGR, it was `Amma’ Jayalalithaa who gave good governance in Tamil Nadu,’’ the PM said. “She dedicated her entire life for the people of TN. I pay her my tributes. It was because of her service that she lives in the heart of Tamil Nadu people even today,’’ Modi said.

Modi’s speech comes in the backdrop of a shadow boxing between Tamil Nadu BJP and its erstwhile ally AIADMK attempting to poach leaders from each other.

Ever since AIADMK walked out of NDA in September last year, the BJP could not lure any major political parties into its fold in Tamil Nadu, except Tamil Maanila Congress, a light weight in the state. AIADMK has clarified that it will not patch up with BJP again. BJP for its part has begun stitching its own alliance in the state.

Modi’s remarks indicate that the saffron party keeps its option open for an AIADMK alliance.

Hitting out at DMK and Congress, Modi said the fate of INDIA front was sealed in Delhi. But the opposition front was trying to stay alive in TN to “to loot people in TN,” he said.

“It is time to lock their shop which has been opened to loot people,” he said. The right lock meant to shut the DMK – Congress shop has been created using the `En Mann En Makkal’ yatra, he said.

Listing out the welfare programmes -- including two defence corridors -- the BJP-led central government has implemented in TN, he asked if the Congress would implement such development schemes if it came to power. “Will those who received bribes to procure weapons allow development of defence corridors here?’’ he asked.

Modi said BJP had always prioritised growth of TN. “We have given more to TN in the last ten years than what the DMK-Congress alliance had given between 2004 and 2014,” he said. Hence, BJP has captured the hearts of people in TN, though the party was never in power in the state.

That was the reason, those who were looting TN for years are spreading lies, creating confusion and dividing people to hold on to power. “Their drama, however, has been exposed. Their corruption is being brought to light everyday,” he said in an apparent reference to corruption cases against DMK ministers.

Modi said BJP has emerged as a force to reckon with in TN and the party would create history in 2024.

BJP’s allies G K Vasan, A C Shanmugam and Devanathan Yadav were present on the stage along with BJP leaders L Murugan and K Annamalai in the public meeting touted as a biggest show of strength by BJP ahead of Lok Sabha elections.

Modi who landed at Sulur Air Force base in Coimbatore took a chopper to reach the meeting venue. From the helipad he came to the stage, designed like a lotus, on an open jeep waving to the crowd amidst slogans `Vendum Modi, Meendum Modi.’

The yatra inaugurated by home minister Amit Shah in Rameswaram in June last year covered all the assembly constituencies.



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