TIRUPUR: Leader of opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin on Saturday accused TVK govt of distributing cash to voters in Dharapuram constituency where a bypoll will be held on Oct 6.Campaigning for DMK candidate S Suganya, Udhayanidhi said while chief minister C Joseph Vijay had earlier claimed that he had entered politics from the “peak of his career,” he was now “placing money in a tiffin carrier box” and distributing it to voters in Dharapuram. He alleged that the ruling side had “bought” legislators.Udhayanidhi accused TVK govt of triggering a sharp rise in the prices of essential commodities, including rice. He said rice prices had increased from ₹50 to ₹70 per kg, sugar from ₹40 to ₹60, tamarind from ₹180 to ₹230, cooking oil from ₹165 to ₹200, garlic from ₹240 to ₹310 and chilli from ₹360 to ₹420.He claimed that the chief minister had begun “acting without shouting” during electioneering. He described the chief minister as silent in the assembly and accused him of evading questions on law and order. He claimed that the chief minister had promised to give answers within three days “ran away.”Udhayanidhi mocked the ruling party’s candidate (P Sathyabama) for publicly weeping, saying “people are the ones who should be crying.”He alleged that TVK ministers were “all former pirated VCD sellers.” He alleged that promises remained unfulfilled and called Vijay a “cheating minister”.Udhayanidhi accused govt of failing to provide even 10 days of work under the rural employment scheme, despite the Centre raising the annual work guarantee to 125 days.
