Minister Nirmal Kumar, speaking to reporters in Sivaganga, said the ruling side faced the recent by-elections without spending money, relying instead on what he described as four months of good governance and Chief Minister Vijay’s influence.
He claimed both constituencies had historically been AIADMK strongholds, but said his party’s candidates won with two to three times higher vote margins.
Nirmal Kumar alleged that the DMK and AIADMK are “declining” in Tamil Nadu and argued that the situation was of their own making. He said that from the moment the two parties attempted to come together against the Chief Minister, they had effectively taken a joint decision that would hurt them.
He further claimed that in the next election, the AIADMK, DMK and BJP would unite to oppose the Chief Minister. He also blamed the AIADMK and DMK for the circumstances that led to the by-elections, and questioned whether Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) still had clarity about who remained in the AIADMK.
Taking aim at AIADMK leaders including R.B. Udhayakumar, he alleged they were holding routine press meets for “time pass” and asked whether they intended to make T.T.V. Dhinakaran the party’s general secretary.
