Palaniswami assails Stalin for indulging in ‘disinformation’ campaign on NDA leaders’ visits to New Delhi

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Monday criticised DMK president and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin for indulging in a ‘disinformation’ campaign on the visits by leaders of Tamil Nadu parties in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to New Delhi.

Addressing the media after announcing the details of seat distribution among the constituents of the NDA, Mr. Palaniswami described the coalition as an “emotional alliance”, and said the visits were meant for holding discussions on the Assembly election, and for “exchange of views”. But it had become “customary” for Mr. Stalin, who was sensing the “poll defeat”, to spread “false information in a pre-planned manner”, he said.

Claiming that the distribution of seats had been carried out “swiftly”, the AIADMK leader said that on the contrary, the DMK and the Congress held negotiations for over 20 days. Also, no understanding had been reached among the ruling party, the VCK, and the CPI(M), he said. He also pointed out that though the leaders of one party (alluding to the DMK) had been saying they had suffered during the Emergency, and had faced cases under the now-repealed Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA), which was brought in by the Congress, they had struck an electoral deal with the national party.

When a journalist asked him how he viewed Mr. Dhinakaran’s visit to the AIADMK headquarters after a gap of nine years [as the AMMK founder was once the AIADMK’s deputy general secretary], Mr. Palaniswami responded by saying, “What is your problem?”

He added that the NDA leaders would “not allow any problem” to crop up.

He expressed hope that the AIADMK would secure a majority on its own and form a government.