AIADMK slams DMK over \'corruption, collection and vendetta\'

Chennai: The opposition AIADMK on Thursday charged its rival, the ruling DMK with indulging in "corruption, collection and vendetta" and accused it of trying to cover-up its alleged non-performance in covid management by targeting its leaders.

An AIADMK delegation led by its top leaders O Panneerselvam, the Coordinator and joint coordinator K Palaniswami met Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit and presented a memorandum against the government.

A party release said the memorandum detailed the ruling DMK's "misuse of government machinery" and its "corruption, collection and vendetta."

Later, speaking to reporters here, Palaniswami alleged that the DMK government did not handle the pandemic situation properly and to "hide this" it was resorting to various acts including targeting his party leaders with "false cases."

"The DMK government has lost in all departments and the ruling party members are involved in scams. The government is unable to contain the pandemic and to hide that, false cases are being foisted against AIADMK leaders, former ministers and functionaries. Their intention is to do corruption, collection and vendetta. That is is what they are doing," Palaniswami alleged.

The DMK's 100-day achievement is "collection," the former Chief Minister charged.

He claimed that works under the MGNREGS were not happening even as he alleged that various development work initiated by the previous AIADMK government that could benefit the people were not proceeding.

In its over 100-days in the ruling saddle, people have been facing challenges and anguish and that was its achievement during this period, he added. After trouncing the AIADMK in the April 6 elections, MK Stalin-led DMK assumed office on May 7 this year and completed 100 days on August 14.

He said that about 13 then ministers of the DMK cabinet of 2006-11 were facing cases and the present dispensation was keen in completing them quickly and "hide this" they had targeted former AIADMK ministers MR Vijayabaskar and SP Velumani, against whom Vigilance searches were held recently.

"False cases against party functionaries, including those from the IT wing, are being foisted," he said.

On the 2017 Kodanadu murder and heist, in which he has already accused the ruling DMK of trying to frame him, Palaniswami said the case was in its final stages in court but that the government wanted to probe it again, even as over 300 witnesses have been enquired.

Chief Minister Stalin has said the probe is on in the case with court's permission and there is no "political interference or vendetta."

Stalin told the state Assembly on Wednesday that the DMK government was only implementing its poll promise on the Kodanadu case, which was to bring "true culprits" to justice.

Lashing out at the chief minister, Palaniswami said the matter had nothing to do with the DMK's poll promise as it was a legal matter.

All the accused had been booked in many cases in Kerala and why was the DMK "so concerned" about them, he asked and said that its party advocates had earlier represented the accused.

"A government should punish the culprits and not protect them. There are apprehensions if the government is in favour of the accused," the former CM said.

"This is vendetta politics as they are not able to face us directly," he said.

While the government's immediate priority should be on covid management, amid fears of a lingering third wave, the ruling DMK was not focusing on the same though the previous AIADMK regime was diligently working in the containing the virus spread.

As a result, the state's daily covid cases dropped to below 500 in February this year while it was now consistently around 1,800, he added.