"Dynastic, Money, Kickbacks' party": JP Nadda jibes at DMK, flags crime rate surge in Tamil Nadu

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], April 14 : Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader JP Nadda on Tuesday launched a scathing attack against the DMK in Tamil Nadu, calling it a "Dynastic, Money and Kickbacks' party".

The BJP released its manifesto for the 2026 Tamil Nadu elections, promising a monthly assistance of Rs 2,000 to all women heads of households and a one-time sum of Rs 10,000 to every household. The party has promised three LPG cylinders free of cost, each on the occasions of Pongal, Tamil Puthandu and Deepavali.

Addressing the manifesto release event in Chennai, Nadda accused the ruling DMK of corruption and a surge in crime. He alleged that the DMK and its allies have converted Tamil Nadu into the "crime capital".

He said, "I am wishing everyone a happy Tamil year on behalf of the BJP. Today is also the 135th birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar. He was the chief architect of the Constitution, and his contribution in the legal field is immense."

"Tamil Nadu is the cradle of one of the world's oldest civilisations, and we are proud of it. But if I talk about DMK and its allies, we find that the cultural capital has now converted into a crime capital. Tamil Nadu did not fail at any point in time, but the DMK made it fail. The pulse of people is that there is a lot of resentment against the DMK, dynastic politics, crime and corruption. In this election, we will see that the people will expose this unholy alliance," he added.

He flagged a surge in crime against women and POCSO cases in the last five years. Nadda also accused the DMK of not fulfilling 70 per cent of its poll promises made in 2021.

He said, "It is a dynastic party with MK Stalin at the top, and Udhayanidhi after him, Kanimozhi as a partner and Sabareesan is the manager. DMK has betrayed the faith of the women, youth, farmers and marginal sections of the society. In the last five years, 8,0008 murders have taken place and sexual assault and gang violence have penetrated every street of Tamil Nadu. There is a 56 per cent surge in crime against women and a 125 per cent rise in POCSO cases. It is one of the leaders as far as the drugs are concerned; there is a 51 per cent surge in drug-related offences. They have sought to fill their pockets. DMK is the Dynastic, Money and Kickbacks' party. Stalin in not only corrupt but a protector of the corrupt. All members of his family are making money. They do not even hesitate in swindling the money of temple hoondis."

"Prime Minister Modi's government is accountable, responsible, proactive and a report card government. More than 70 per cent of the DMK's manifesto promises have not been fulfilled. They did not hesitate in demeaning Sanatanis, the Hindus," the BJP leader added.

The BJP has also promised to overhaul Tamil Nadu's rail network by enabling land acquisition at fair prices and expanding connectivity via projects like High Speed Rail Corridors (Chennai-Bengaluru, Chennai-Hyderabad), Coimbatore-Tiruppur Salem RRTS, Villupuram-Chennai Semi-Urban Rail, Hydro Power Train project and new Sleeper Vande Bharat trains linking Chennai with Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata.

For women, the party promised to tackle crimes against women through streamlined zero-FIR reporting, victim-witness protection, Special Fast-Track Courts for heinous cases including sexual offences, 100 per cent blind-spot-free CCTV in buses, schools and universities, and optimised Nirbhaya Fund utilisation. The BJP said it will empower women-led cooperatives, SHGs, and MSMEs with interest-free loans up to Rs 50 lakh for manufacturing units and a mandated 20 per cent government procurement quota.

The BJP is contesting 27 seats in the Assembly while being in alliance with the AIADMK, part of the National Democratic Alliance, on 27 seats.

The party announced that it will declare Thaipoosam as the state festival to honour Lord Murugan and will ensure that the tradition of lighting the Karthigai Deepam at the Thiruparankundram Hilltop is resumed and protected through the years.

This comes after Justice Swaminathan's order directing that the ceremonial lamp be lit on the Deepathoon (lamp pillar) located atop the Thiruparankundram hill. This had led to a tussle between the ruling DMK, which denied the permission and called for the ceremony to happen elsewhere to maintain peace. BJP has demanded that the devotees be allowed to light the lamp atop the hill. The row escalated to contempt petitions and also echoed in Parliament last year.

Polling for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections will take place on April 23, with counting of votes on May 4.

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