Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami launched the AIADMK’s campaign for the Assembly Elections to be held in May 2021.
The Chief Minister starting the campaign from his hometown Edappadi in Salem announced that the government would give a cash dole of ₹2500 for Pongal to all rice cardholders from January 4.
“Pongal is arriving, the festival of Tamil people. Due to the pandemic and the cyclones, many have lost jobs and their livelihood has been affected, especially of those living in delta regions. Considering all their plight with an aim to make all Tamil people celebrate the Pongal festival in the best possible way, the government has decided to disburse ₹2500 to all the 2.06 crore rice cardholders in the state,” Palanisami said.
Apart from the cash dole, people will also get a Pongal kit comprising of 1 kg of raw rice, 1 kg of sugar, a piece of sugarcane, 20 grams of dry grapes, 20 grams of cashews and five grams of cardamom. People will be given tokens at the doorstep by the authorities and can collect the money and the kit on the date allotted.
During the campaign, CM Palaniswami highlighted the various welfare programmes and schemes rolled out by the government. He also spoke about the investments that the state has pulled and the resulting jobs it would be creating.
“The election will happen in another four months and I need to visit all the 234 constituencies. I could have started my campaign a few days later, but 15 days before, DMK MP Kanimozhi started her campaign in this constituency and placed many false allegations against our government. To give her a befitting reply and to prove her allegations wrong, many AIADMK volunteers requested me to start the election campaign from here early. Edappadi is AIADMK’s fort. From 1977, ever since Puratchithalaivar MGR left the DMK and launched the AIADMK, DMK has never won in this constituency. From being an MLA of this constituency, I have been selected as the Chief Minister. Your affection will always be with us. Not just Kanimozhi, even if all the DMK leaders campaign, they won’t be able to win. In the 2021 assembly election, the AIADMK–led alliance will win the majority of the seats and retain power,” the Chief Minister said.