Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], April 11 : The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has launched a blistering counter-attack against AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS), accusing him of political desperation and moral decline.
Speaking with ANI, DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai characterized the former Chief Minister as a leader "hammered from all sides," suggesting that internal party pressure and external criticism have led to a loss of composure within the AIADMK leadership.
"Edappadi Palaniswami is the most desperate man in Tamil Nadu. He is being hammered from all sides," Annadurai said.
Annadurai pointed out that V.K. Sasikalawhom he described as the person EPS "once fell at the feet of" to secure the Chief Minister's chairhas now launched a "scathing attack" on him.
"Yesterday, Sasikala - the very person at whose feet he once fell to get the Chief Minister's post - launched a scathing attack on him," he said.
The DMK spokesperson asserted that EPS is currently too "confused" to handle the multi-front challenges from the DMK and dissenting voices within his own circles.
"He is confused and doesn't know how to respond. Instead, he went personal, made derogatory remarks, and attacked women leaders in our party. This shows the level to which he has fallen," he added.
He further asserted that Palaniswami's approach would not yield any political gain. "He is not going to gain anything," he added.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, Palaniswami dismissed controversy surrounding his remarks on DMK MP Kanimozhi, asserting that his statement was misinterpreted and that he merely spoke about her position.
"I did not say she is positionless. What I said is, does she receive the respect she deserves within her own family? No. In M. Karunanidhi's family, status is given only to MK Stalin. Kanimozhi has not been given that status. That is the reality. I merely expressed that reality. I did not speak ill of anyone. I only stated that Kanimozhi has not been given her rightful place in that family," he told ANI.
The AIADMK leader's comments had sparked a political row, drawing reactions from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), which accused him of making inappropriate remarks about the party MP.
Tamil Nadu will go to the polls in a single phase on April 23. Counting is scheduled for May 4.
The main electoral contest is expected between the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA), which also includes Congress, DMDK, and the VCK, and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by AIADMK with the BJP and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) as allies. Actor-turned-politician Vijay is set to make his electoral debut with TVK, attempting to turn the upcoming elections into a three-way contest.
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