DMK govt convened meeting over NEET a 'drama', AIADMK won't attend it, says Palaniswami

Chennai: A meeting of the legislature party leaders convened by the DMK government on April 9 on NEET is a 'drama,' and serves no purpose as people are outraged over the ruling party's alleged failure to ensure its "cancellation," AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami said on Tuesday. His party will not attend the meeting, convened in the wake of the Centre declining consent for Tamil Nadu's anti-NEET Assembly bill, the Leader of Opposition said.

Chief Minister M K Stalin had on April 4 informed that the Assembly resolution seeking NEET exemption for the state, that was sent for Presidential assent, has been declined.

He had announced that a meeting of the legislature party leaders has been convened on April 9 in this connection.


In a party statement, Palaniswami said that Stalin and his son and deputy CM Udhayanidhi had ahead of the 2021 Assembly polls, gave false promises over 'abolishing' NEET.

They had claimed they knew the 'secret' to do away with the National Entrance-cum-Eligibility Test (NEET) and that the first signature post the DMK government taking over would be in this connection.

However, the CM had recently announced that the bill that was sent for Presidential assent has been declined, he pointed out.

Stalin has "convened the meeting to manage the public anger and opposition against the DMK which has not taken any effort in four years to cancel NEET and with Assembly elections due in 2026," where the ruling party has to face the people, he said.

"No solution is going to emerge out of this meeting; it's a drama. Therefore, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) will not participate in the legislature party leaders meeting," on Wednesday, the former CM said.