Stalin accuses Tamil Nadu ruling party of seeking defections ahead of bypolls

DMK president and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has appealed to voters in the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies to support DMK candidates in the upcoming by-elections. In a speech posted on social media, Stalin alleged that the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam was more interested in purchasing legislators to protect its government than in addressing pressing issues.

He also accused Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay of focusing on plans for a new Secretariat, allegedly following advice from an astrologer, while neglecting protests by fishermen and farmers. The claims were made by Stalin in his appeal to voters and were not independently substantiated in the supplied material.

Stalin asked voters to defeat the ruling party’s candidates, including a legislator who had defected to it. He questioned why the by-elections were necessary only four months after the Assembly election and accused the legislators involved of betraying those who had elected them. He rejected the argument that the legislators could serve their constituencies only by joining the ruling party.

Stalin said governments should not ignore constituencies represented by opposition lawmakers. He also denied claims that the DMK and AIADMK had planned to join forces to form a government. He said the by-election had resulted from what he described as a political party’s betrayal by its own legislator.