Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Thursday campaigned across parts of Coimbatore district, including Pollachi and Kinathukadavu, seeking votes for DMK candidates Sabari Karthikeyan (Kinathukadavu), Sudhakar (Valparai) and Jayakumar (Udumalai), and for Kongu Makkal Katchi candidate Nithiyanandhan in Pollachi.
Addressing voters, he said the DMK government had implemented multiple development works in the region. He cited plans for a gold jewellery industrial park at Sundarapuram and SIDCO, a workers’ hostel, and road works including a Rs 9-crore tar road project in Madukkarai municipality and a Rs 2-crore tar road in Thirumalayampalayam.
Echoing Chief Minister M K Stalin’s line, Udhayanidhi said the election was a contest between the “Tamil Nadu team” and the “Delhi team”, and asserted that the DMK-led side would defeat the latter.
On local demands, he said residents had sought the creation of a separate Pollachi district and promised to take it up with the Chief Minister after returning to power. He also listed initiatives carried out under the DMK, including a veterinary medical college, upgrades to a government hospital, a statue for those who created the PAP project, steps to address issues related to inam and temple lands, and the appointment of a dedicated district revenue officer.
He further highlighted welfare measures such as free bus travel, the breakfast scheme expanded up to Class 8, an increase in women’s entitlement assistance to Rs 2,000, laptops for 35 lakh college students, education assistance of Rs 1,500 for college students, a plan to build houses for 10 lakh people, and Rs 8,000 vouchers for women to purchase household essentials. He also alleged that a court case was filed to stop the women’s entitlement payment citing elections, and said a summer special amount of Rs 5,000 was paid for three months at 6.30 am.
