AIADMK’s Rs 10,000 pledge vs DMK’s Rs 5,000: Edappadi K Palaniswami sharpens poll pitch

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said his party’s promise of Rs 10,000 as one-time relief for families facing economic hardship would be a “superhit” among voters, contrasting it with the Rs 5,000 assistance announced by Chief Minister M K Stalin.

Campaigning in the Maduravoyal and Poonamallee Assembly constituencies as part of his “Makkalai Kaapom, Tamilagathai Meetpom” (Save People, Redeem Tamil Nadu) outreach, the former Chief Minister accused the DMK government of burdening the public with inflation, higher taxes and increased fees over the past five years.

Palaniswami said the AIADMK’s proposed Rs 10,000 ex-gratia payment was intended to offset the financial strain “imposed” by the ruling dispensation and claimed the announcement had been widely welcomed. “People are waiting for the elections to bring the AIADMK back to power,” he said.


Addressing meetings in the two constituencies on Wednesday night, he alleged that Stalin’s decision to disburse Rs 5,000 to women was driven by “fear of defeat” in the upcoming Assembly polls.

The AIADMK leader also dismissed as “baseless” the Chief Minister’s charge that there was an attempt to stall the state’s Rs 1,000 monthly assistance scheme for women beneficiaries ahead of the election.

Palaniswami further criticised the inclusion of a Rs 2,000 “summer grant” component within the Rs 5,000 payout, remarking that the move appeared timed with the polls. Referring to Stalin’s earlier jibe that “two zeros add up to zero” in reference to the AIADMK’s electoral performance, he said voters would return the favour.

“In the coming election, the people will give zero to the DMK-led alliance,” he said.