DMK is a corporate company meant for elite, not for masses: EPS

Leader of Opposition and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Friday reiterated his charge that the ruling DMK has always been functioning as a “corporate company”, mainly serving the elite section in the society and not for masses in Tamil Nadu.

Addressing a public gathering in Tiruvannamalai as part of his State-wide tour, Mr. Palaniswami said unlike AIADMK where a ordinary person can reach top position in the party over the years and could also even become a Chief Minister like him, persons with ordinary background cannot climb up in the hierarchy of DMK and become its top leader. “I am the example of an ordinary person becoming a Chief Minister and heading a powerful political party. It’s possible only in AIADMK where only loyalty matters and in DMK, it promotes dynastic politics,” he said.

The AIADMK leader claimed surging crowds during his State-wide tour clearly exemplifies support of people for the part. It also shows their frustration towards the DMK government. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has been daydreaming of winning his second term in the 2026 assembly elections. Mr. Stalin is faraway from reality, he said.

The former Chief Minister criticised the Ungaludan Stalin Scheme, which was launched by Mr. Stalin in July to address people’s grievances at special camps in the State, as the State machinery including government officials has been used for the scheme, mainly to propagate about DMK to voters ahead of assembly polls.

“After four years in power, Mr. Stalin was aware only now about people’s grievances in 46 different areas that should be addressed. The scheme is a ploy to draw voters towards DMK,” he alleged. 

Contrary to the claim made by Mr. Stalin that 98% of 525 poll promises were fulfilled, Mr. Palaniswami listed many poll promises made by DMK during 2021 polls that remain unfulfilled. Some of them include increase in total working days from 100 to 150 under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme, cancellation of education loan, ₹100 subsidy for LPG cylinders and reduction of petrol and diesel prices in the State, he claimed.