Amid L&O turning bad to worse, smokescreen behind new DGP’s selection ominous: Palaniswami

CHENNAI: Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami here on Saturday raised suspicions over what he called the hidden agenda behind the delay in sending the list of possible officers for the post of DGP (Law and Order), even as the current top cop is set to retire on August 30.

Addressing the rally of Makkalai Kaappom, Thamizhagathai Meetpom at Tiruverumbur in Tiruchy, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi Palaniswami charged that it was against the practice.

“It is mandatory to prepare the list well before three months and send it for approval, but till now, no process has been started, and there is no transparency in preparing the list, and so we sense some hidden agenda in it,” EPS charged.

Charging that the law and order situation has become from bad to worse, EPS said that as many as six police personnel were murdered in the past six months and assured that the AIADMK government would uphold law and order after forming the government, as the 2026 election would end the dynasty politics of the DMK.

Meanwhile, talking about prices of essential commodities, Palaniswami said that even after the DMK completing 51 months in government, the people had not received a benefit. But the high cost of rice was in their hands. “While the DMK ministers claim that they had fulfilled more than 90 per cent of 525 poll promises, they had actually fulfilled less than 10 per cent,” he said.

Stating that the prices of essential commodities, including rice, have gone steeply high, EPS said, the DMK has failed to control the price hike, but the AIADMK government stood with the people and never increased the price of any commodities to protect the welfare of the people.

EPS said that the DMK had released the Magalir Urimai Thogai of Rs 1,000 due to the pressure built by the AIADMK, and that too, they had started the distribution only after 28 months of forming the government. “But their alliance partner, the Congress government in Karnataka, released the amount within two months of forming the government,” he pointed out. But now, the DMK government, which has only eight months left, has announced cash benefits to 30 lakh more women. “This is just an election gimmick and the people won’t be deceived”, EPS said.

The AIADMK leader slammed Chief Minister MK Stalin, saying he has made the State stand first in the country only in borrowing. For the four years of the tenure, they had borrowed a sum of Rs 4.38 lakh crore, and during the completion of the tenure, it would reach 5.38 lakh crore, he said. “When borrowing increases, the tax would be increased,” EPS said.