LoP attacks TN government over water-logging, demands white paper on rains in Chennai | Latest News India

Opposition leader Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) on Thursday attacked the DMK government over waterlogging caused by rains, demanding a white paper on flood management in Chennai and was firm in stating that his party, AIADMK, is not more divided and those who were expelled will never be brought back.

EPS also criticized the DMK for lack of preparedness for the northeast monsoon that occurred on October 15 in Tamil Nadu. “As the rain stopped, the water went down. That’s all,” EPS said, adding that Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin’s remarks that the government acted quickly to remove rainwater are childish. “The AIADMK demands a white paper on the flood prevention work carried out in Chennai so that the public can know the truth.

On the occasion of the 53rd founding anniversary of the AIADMK party in Chennai, EPS said, “Don’t say the AIADMK is divided. AIADMK is a unit, and you can see all the senior leaders with me here.

“The people you are talking about have been expelled from the AIADMK,” he said referring to O Panneerselvam (OPS), VK Sasikala and his nephew and Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam chief TTV Dhinakaran. “The expulsion has been happening since the party emerged in 1972. There is no way for them (expelled leaders) to return. Their expulsion stands,” said EPS. “Please never say the party is divided.”

His claim of unification comes at a time when the party, which has risen in the land of the Dravidian colossus, is at its weakest point. The party’s good days lasted only until 2016 and have been in decline since its leader J Jayalalithaa passed away in December that year.

EPS also dismissed reports that six senior leaders met him recently to consider the reintroduction of OPS, Sasikala and Dhinakaran into the party as “blatant lies”. The expelled leaders have also been urging the EPS to “unite” the factions in the broader interest of the AIADMK’s electoral performance.

In response, Chief Minister MK Stalin said that those who cannot digest the good work done by his government are politicizing the rains. “People are satisfied with the work of the government,” Stalin said after inspecting humanitarian work in his constituency, Kolathur, in Chennai. “Those who cannot digest people’s praise criticize the government. We don’t worry about these things as our aim is to serve the people.”