TIRUCHY: Re-entry into politics by VK Sasikala looks like going for a job after enjoying vacation. But, real politics is more than this. She had already announced her retirement from public life in 2021, said AIADMK general secretary and Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami here on Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters after taking part in several programmes organised by the party functionaries, Palaniswami said, the farmers and agricultural labourers have been undergoing untold misery for the past one year. Due to the water scarcity, crops on more than 3 lakh acres had withered, while several farmers were not included in the crop insurance scheme. The farmers could not get proper compensation, but the AIADMK government had introduced several welfare schemes for the benefit of farmers, he noted.
Palaniswami pointed out that the DMK government had sanctioned a fund of Rs 78.67 crore for kuruvai special package in which an amount of Rs 24.50 crore was allocated for the MGNREGS and the remaining Rs 54.17 crore can be utilised for kuruvai package and this is inadequate for the farmers, he said.
The Leader of Opposition also charged that the spurious spirits are widely available in the state ever since the DMK came to power and today nine persons have died while more than 30 persons are undergoing treatment due to consuming spurious spirit.
Meanwhile, the AIADMK general secretary, answering a query on reentry of Sasikala into politics, took a jibe at her and said it appears to be joining back in a job after enjoying vacation. “Politics is more than this and she had announced her retirement from public life in 2021 and the AIADMK cadre protected the party thereafter. Her reentry talk is just another drama,” EPS said.
He also said that O Panneerselvam was not faithful to the party at any time. “OPS is the person who is always very selfish and so no cadre will respect him. He wanted to get a Cabinet berth in the NDA government by winning with the jackfruit symbol but it was not materialised. Whoever is disloyal to the party will face the fate like OPS,” Palaniswami said. He also said that the AIADMK had never entertained caste in the party in any form.
He also said that the AIADMK’s vote share has increased even after there was no proper alliance, but the DMK had lost 6.5 per cent votes in the just concluded Lok Sabha polls. “In the 2026 election, AIADMK will form a mega alliance and will certainly form a government with an absolute majority,” he said.
Earlier, Palaniswami arrived at Tiruchy airport to proceed to Delta region and he was given a rousing reception by the AIADMK cadre.