Edappadi Palaniswami. File
| Photo Credit: Bijoy Ghosh

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Thursday (May 8, 2025) said that the occurrence of deaths due to illicit liquor twice after a gap of 13 years should be considered “the achievement of the Stalin [DMK] model government.”

In a statement on the DMK government completing four years in office in Tamil Nadu, Mr. Palaniswami said that despite his party flagging — inside the Assembly and outside — a host of issues, such as the “increasing incidence” of violence and “deteriorating” law and order, there had been no “strong and firm” measures from the government so far. That Tamil Nadu had been “turned” into a State wherein women could not lead their lives safely was also an “achievement” of the DMK, which had been calling itself a “Dravida Model government,” he said. 

The finances of the government were worrisome, with a rising debt burden. There was “no coordination” among the departments of the government, leading to a delay in the implementation of schemes and infrastructure projects. Though he had pointed out various shortcomings and mistakes, the DMK government was “not mature enough” to correct itself, the AIADMK general secretary said.

Contending that when his party was in power, it had accomplished several projects and had many schemes to its credit, Mr. Palaniswami wondered whether the “Stalin model” government could cite a similar instance. 

Meanwhile, AMMK founder T.T.V. Dhinakaran, in a post on his social media handle, criticised the DMK government for being “lackdaisical” with regard to the alleged rape of a minor girl in Erode.