BJP won’t enter TN as long as DMK cadres exist: Dy CM

Chennai: Deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Saturday accused the BJP-led Union govt of attempting to gain a foothold in Tamil Nadu by inciting communal tensions in Thiruparankundram in Madurai, in the wake of the ‘deepam' row. "The people of Tamil Nadu know what is happening in Thiruparankundram. After repeatedly failing to gain ground through various strategies, they have now turned to religion for political gains. But they will not succeed, not as long as the last ‘udanpirappu' (cadre) wearing the ‘karuppu-sivappu kara veshti' of Kalaignar stands on this soil," Udhayanidhi said, after unveiling a statue of Karunanidhi in Villupuram. Launching a scathing attack on AIADMK and its general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, Udayanidhi said the party was reduced to a "slave outfit" of BJP. He added that "the organization had strayed so far from its ideological roots that it should now be known as the Amit Shah Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam."Udhayanidhi said that it was the responsibility of party cadres to take five flagship welfare initiatives—the free breakfast scheme, ‘Pudhumai Penn', ‘Naan Mudhalvan', ‘Vidiyal Payanam', and ‘Magalir Urimai Thittam'—to the people to ensure DMK's continued mandate. In another programme, the deputy CM distributed welfare measures to the tune of 119.70 crore to 9,230 beneficiaries.