Adequate measures taken to tackle monsoon chaos, cyclone threat: CM Stalin

CHENNAI: Facing criticisms from opposition parties over allegedly lackadaisical response to heavy monsoon rains, especially with the possibility of a severe cyclonic storm looming, Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin penned a letter to the party functionaries and public in which he outlined a multi-pronged strategy that his government has adopted to address immediate monsoon preparedness.

In the letter, he also launched a scathing attack on the opposition, and detailed the DMK’s campaign for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

The letter, framed as a message from "one of you" to the "beloved siblings" of the party, assured everyone that the government has taken adequate measures to handle the ongoing northeast monsoon.

Stalin said that pre-emptive measures have been intensified across all districts from Chennai to Kanniyakumari in light of the cyclone warning and heavy rains. He also mentioned conducting personal inspections and directing officials to ensure swift action.

Taking the attack to the opposition, particularly the BJP-led Union government and its ally and principal opposition party, the AIADMK, Stalin recounted historical instances from 1952 and 1978 when the DMK, then not in power or in opposition, provided relief during cyclones under the leadership of its late stalwarts, CN Annadurai and M Karunanidhi.

He also recalled his own efforts during the 2018 Gaja cyclone as the Leader of the Opposition, claiming the DMK was on the ground "before dawn" while the then-AIADMK ministers arrived "leisurely."

Stalin accused AIADMK general secretary and Leader of Opposition, Edappadi K Palaniswami, of trying to "harvest something in the political field" during the monsoon season instead of constructively supporting the people. He dismissed the AIADMK's allegations on paddy procurement, terming them as a "bundles of lies" that have been exposed by his government's continuous actions.