Salem: Embarking on a whirlwind electioneering for the AIADMK-led NDA in Tamil Nadu for the Lok Sabha polls from Salem district on Friday, Chief Minister, Edappadi K Palaniswami asserted that "to ensure the security of the country, a BJP government should again be formed at the Centre under the Prime Ministership of Narendra Modi.'
Addressing a series of meetings at different places from an open van, canvassing for AIADMK's Salem candidate Saravanan and DMDK's Kallakuruchi candidate, L.K. Sudhish, the Chief Minister lauded Mr. Modi's "courageous role" in explaining to the people the security imperatives of India after the dastardly terror attack on a CRPF convoy at Pulwama in J and K in February, in which 40 Jawans were killed.
"Modi played a historic role in responding to this crisis and he should become PM again to reinforce national security interests," Palaniswami said adverting to IAF's air strikes on terror camps at Balakot in Pakistan and the subsequent handling of the situation when IAF wing commander Abhinandan Varthaman landed in Pakistan's custody and his subsequent safe return home.
Expressing the hope that the AIADMK-BJP alliance would sweep the polls, winning all 39 Lok Sabha seats in the State, Palaniswami hinted that AIADMK could then be part of a BJP-led government at the Centre. He also took potshots at the DMK leader Stalin for stalling any project the AIADMK sought to implement for the welfare and development of the people.
Significantly, Mr. Palaniswami said during his campaign at Karumanthurai, that all projects in Tamil Nadu that affected the livelihood of farmers including methane and hydro-carbon extraction in the Cauvery delta and eight-lane Salem-Chennai expressway will not be implemented by his government.
