Stalin on second leg of campaign; AIADMK ridicules it

Stalin launched his reach out campaign last month, seeking to mould public opinion in his party's favour ahead of next year's Assembly elections

With DMK treasurer M K Stalin set to begin his second phase of campaign 'Namakkau Name' (We for ourselves) tomorrow from Nilgiris to reach out to the electorate, ruling AIADMK today made fun of him, his style and the campaign.

Stalin launched his reach out campaign 'Namakku Naame Vidiyal Meetpu Payanam' (We for ourselves, journey to retrieve dawn) last month, seeking to mould public opinion in his party's favour ahead of next year's Assembly elections.

The DMK leader has gone in for an image make over for his campaign with bright formals, sun glasses and hops on to a scooter or bicycle and meets people in buses and other public places and has tea and food in roadside stalls and holds discussions there.

Ridiculing this, AIADMK today said "if he (Stalin) believes that he could make DMK the ruling party through his campaign we can only say that it is a comedy."

In an article in AIADMK mouthpiece "Dr Namadhu MGR," the party made fun of Stalin for choosing colourful shirts for his campaign and mocked at him "as he does not remove his sunglasses even in dark."

Targeting Stalin for saying that "people came (joined) his party for peace of mind," AIADMK asked if "DMK was a political party or an ashram" and said whatever may be the narrative used by him, people would give them "unprecedented electoral debacle" in next year's Assembly election.

Indicating about some functionaries from smaller parties joining DMK, the ruling party said "no green farming could be done with barren trees."

The first leg of Stalin's campaign began on September 20 in Kanyakumari District and concluded on October 2 at Tiruchirappalli.

He would launch his second phase of campaign from Nilgiris district tomorrow and end it on October 18 in Cuddalore. The third leg would be from October 26 (Salem) to November 8 (Kanchipuram).