We will win in Nagapattinam: MMK President MH Jawahirullah, backs DMK's MK Stalin for second term

Nagapattinam (Tamil Nadu) [India], April 13 (ANI): Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK) President and party candidate from Nagapattinam Assembly Constituency, M H Jawahirullah, on Sunday said that the election campaign in Nagapattinam is progressing "peacefully" and "enthusiastically," expressing confidence that the Democratic Progressive Front will secure victory and ensure a return of Chief Minister M K Stalin to power for a second term with what he described as a "double century" mandate.

Speaking to ANI, Jawahirullah said, "The campaign is going on very peacefully, very enthusiastically, and in a very massive manner. The entire party's in the Democratic Progressive Front, that is, we call in Tamil Mathasarbatra Mutpoku Kootani, they are working for my victory. I'm very much sure that in Nagapattinam we will win. Not only in Nagapattinam, but we will also win as our CM has said, we will hit a double century and our honourable CM Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin will become the Chief Minister for the second time and DMK regime will be here in Tamil Nadu for the seventh time."
Referring to the campaign activities of senior DMK leaders, Jawahirullah said that the participation of Udhayanidhi Stalin in campaigning in the constituency would further strengthen the party's prospects. He described Udhayanidhi Stalin as a young leader with significant influence among the youth of Tamil Nadu.
"He has done very much for the youth, especially as Minister in charge of sports. He has arranged for stadiums in all over Tamil Nadu and he's a darling of the youth of Tamil Nadu. And definitely his campaign today morning in my constituency will boost our campaign and we will win massively," he said.
On the campaign visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to Tamil Nadu, Jawahirullah said it would not have any impact on the election outcome, while also targeting the AIADMK. He alleged that the party had not acted in the interest of the people of the Nagapattinam constituency.
"No, it will not affect my victory because AIADMK has worked against the interests of the people of the Nagapattinam constituency. For example, the medical college should have been in Nagapattinam. The AIADMK people, they took it to Orathur, which is a very small hamlet. And again, we had the district hospital over here. It has been taken to Vedaranyam, both by O.S. Manian and the present AIADMK candidate. So the people in the Nagapattinam constituency are very much against the AIADMK. I think he will lose his deposit," said Jawahirullah.
Responding to the BJP's remarks describing the AIADMK as "anti-Tamil," the MMK leader said that the BJP leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, were "anti-Tamil."
He further alleged that Tamil Nadu has not received its due share of central funds and accused the Union Government of acting against the interests of the state.
"People will not forget that many of the funds which are due to Tamil Nadu have not been given by the Central Government. For example, we are one of the largest contributors of GST. Are we receiving the funds from the centre in the proportion of what we contribute? No. So many other schemes which we have in Tamil Nadu have been stopped by the Central Government. They are working against the interests of Tamil Nadu. Definitely, people will realise it and Mr. Edappadi Palaniswami, the AIADMK chief, is simply a puppet who is dancing to the tunes of Modi ji and Amit Shah ji and they should change their name of the party. It is not Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, it is Amit Shah Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam," he said.
Tamil Nadu will go to the polls in a single phase on April 23, with counting scheduled for May 4.
The main contest is the elections is expected between the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA), which includes the Indian National Congress, Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK), and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by AIADMK with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) as allies. Actor-turned-politician Vijay is also set to make his electoral debut with TVK, which may turn the contest into a three-way fight. (ANI)