Hold panchayat polls immediately, PMK tells Edappadi K Palaniswami

SALEM: Getting assertive after its supportive role in enabling an AIADMK victory in the just concluded Vikravandi Assembly by-poll in particular, the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) on Friday pressured the Chief Minister, Mr. Edappadi K Palaniswami to hold the local bodies' elections in Tamil Nadu “immediately”.

The PMK president, Mr. G.K. Mani, who met Mr. Palaniswami on his home turf here to congratulate him on the by-election wins, told reporters later that until local bodies' elections were held and elected councils in place, Central government funds would not be released to the panchayats and nagar palikas. This was holding up a lot of development work needed to solve people's basic needs, he said, adding, “we have been pressing both the Chief Minister and the Local Administration minister to hold the local bodies elections immediately.”

On the Panchami land controversy vis-a-vis the land on which the DMK's party organ, 'Murasoli' in Chennai stood, Mr. Mani said it was unwittingly that the DMK leader M K Stalin who raised the 'panchami' land issue. “Therefore, he should release the full details regarding the land occupied by 'Murasoli',” he urged.

Terming the AIADMK victory in the Vikravandi and Nanguneri constituencies as a “Himalayan achievement”, he said this was possible as voters strongly disliked the 'canards' being spread by the DMK during the campaign about the AIADMK and PMK.

Mr. Mani also said there was no change in the PMK's stance that 'Neet' exam should be scrapped as it was students from middle-class and economically weaker sections who are hit the most by it.