Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) organising secretary Durai Vaiko on Sunday said that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had successfully overcome the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and the severe financial crisis that the State was facing when he assumed office 21 months ago.
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Addressing the media, while seeking votes for Congress candidate E.V.K.S. Elangovan, he said that the pandemic was at its peak, industries were paralysed leading to joblessness and the State’s debt stood at ₹ 5 lakh crore when the DMK came to power.
“Steps taken by Mr. Stalin have led to the State attracting domestic and global investments of ₹2.5 lakh crore and assuring jobs to 3.5 lakh people,” he said. Industrial growth in the last 21 months led to improved infrastructure, including roads, in the State which paved for further development, he pointed out.
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Mr. Durai Vaiko said that Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam scheme, first of its kind in the country, had benefitted 67 lakh people while the Illam Thedi Kalvi scheme benefitted 30 lakh school students. “The AIADMK and the BJP keep saying that the DMK government did not fulfill any of its election promises which is a false accusation,” he said and added, “Once the financial situation improves, the DMK will fulfill its promise of monthly honorarium of ₹1,000 for housewives,”.
Asked about AIADMK leaders claiming that the DMK was cutting ribbons for the completed projects launched by their government, Mr. Durai Vaiko said many schemes were implemented with flaws and the problems were rectified, modified and re-implemented by the DMK.
To a question on the attack of a fisherman from Mettur in Karnataka, he said, attacks on fishermen by Sri Lanka were happening regularly and blamed the Union Government for failing to take any steps in the last eight years. “The AIADMK is part of the National Democratic Alliance and they failed to pressurise the Union government to stop the attacks,” he charged.