War of words sharpens as Madurantakam and Dharapuram head to the October 6 bypolls
With polling four days away, the ruling TVK, the DMK and the AIADMK are trading charges of horse-trading, coordinated smear campaigns and "reels" governance in two constituencies the Chief Minister's party cannot afford to lose.
With four days to go for polling, the Assembly bypolls in Madurantakam and Dharapuram have turned into a bitter war of words between the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam and the principal opposition parties, the DMK and the AIADMK. Polling in both reserved constituencies is scheduled for October 6, with counting on October 9.
Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, who campaigned in Dharapuram this week, told supporters he had come "not as a Chief Minister, but as one among you, as your brother", and accused the DMK of defaming the TVK "every day". He also called the AIADMK a "branch of the DMK" and asked why a party of common people could not come to power.
Vijay also addressed the Veeramani case that has dominated campaign talk, asking "how long can the truth be hidden" and insisting that when it comes to the safety of women and children, his government had "zero compromise".
The DMK has hit back harder. Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin has attacked the Vijay government over law and order and power cuts, dismissing it as a "reels government". Party president M K Stalin has alleged deteriorating law and order, frequent power cuts and rising prices, and asked what investments the Chief Minister's London visit had brought Tamil Nadu.
TVK minister Aadhav Arjuna countered that the DMK and the AIADMK were running a "coordinated negative campaign" against Vijay, alleging a tacit understanding between the two Dravidian rivals ahead of the bypolls and accusing the DMK of personal attacks rather than challenging the government on policy.
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, campaigning in both constituencies, charged that the bypolls were "thrust upon" voters because of "horse-trading", referring to the defection of former AIADMK MLAs Maragatham Kumaravel and P Sathyabama, who resigned and joined the TVK and are now the ruling party's candidates in Madurantakam and Dharapuram respectively.
The DMK has fielded I Paranthamen in Madurantakam, while the AIADMK has nominated S Kanitha Sampath. With the TVK contesting its first major electoral test since forming the government, all sides have deployed their top campaigners for the final phase.
Sources
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