I may not be in assembly, but I am in people’s hearts, says Stalin

Tiruvarur: DMK president M K Stalin hit back at chief minister C Joseph Vijay stating that he may not be in the state assembly, but could be found in the hearts of the people. He would remain chief minister of Tamil Nadu as long as Kalaignar Mahalir Urimai Thittam was in force.

DMK would also consider the request of his partymen to contest future elections without allies, he said.``If you want to find me, look in people’s hearts,’’ Stalin told the gathering at the wedding ceremony of former dairy development minister U Mathivanan’s son. He was responding to Vijay’s ``where is your father’ taunt in the assembly on Tuesday, made in an apparent reference to Stalin’s defeat in the election.“The chief minister (Vijay) has said ‘unga appa va kaanom’ (your father is missing).

‘Appa’ lives in the hearts of the people. Whether I am present in the legislative assembly or not, I am always present in the ‘people’s assembly,” Stalin said.Stalin asked Vijay to go through the files of govt schemes that are in the secretariat. ``You can find my signature on the files of Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai Thittam, Pudhumai Penn Thittam and Tamil Pudhalvan Thittam. You do not have to search for me. I am in the secretariat and I am the one ruling,’’ he said.

Stalin recalled former chief minister C N Annadurai’s statement that he would be remembered forever for renaming the state as ‘Tamil Nadu.’ “Similarly, as long as schemes like Magalir Urimai Thogai Thittam continue to exist, Stalin would be the chief minister,” he said.Responding to DMK deputy general secretary A Raja’s request to contest elections independently without any allies, Stalin said he would think about the request.Expressing displeasure over CPM state secretary P Shanmugam’s remark that Secular Progressive Alliance no longer existed in TN, Raja said one can speak about his respective party, but not about the alliance. ``Who are you to say there is no alliance?’’ Raja asked.“Please announce that there is no alliance with anyone. We will contest all 234 seats independently. This is the only way to save Tamil Nadu,” Raja urged Stalin. Stalin said DMK never sends away any of its allies, but he would not stop someone if they chose to leave.