COIMBATORE: AIADMK-led alliance is the only viable force capable of bringing metro rail to Coimbatore, party leader S P Velumani claimed on Wednesday. While campaigning for AIADMK candidate in Kinathukadavu assembly constituency S Damodaran, the former minister said, “The DMK has not brought a single new project to Kinathukadavu. Even the crucial Marappalam railway underpass expansion work in Madukkarai had been intentionally delayed by the DMK govt,” Velumani said. He added that the ruling party had “no right to even seek votes” after cheating those who supported it in the 2021 election. He said the region had witnessed major infrastructure growth, including new roads and flyovers, during the previous AIADMK regime. “Sitting MLA Damodaran worked for the development of the constituency,” he said. Velumani defended the central government’s handling of the economy, saying fuel-related issues in India had been mitigated under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. Velumani said DMK candidate KVKS Sabari Karthikeyan was a “sudden arrival” with no grassroots connection to Kinathukadavu constituency. Velumani said actor Vijay’s newly formed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) was not a serious political challenger. While acknowledging his personal friendship with Vijay and saying he had helped the actor with movie releases in the past, Velumani insisted that cinema and politics were entirely different fields. He questioned TVK’s ability to govern, saying a leader’s primary duty was to protect the people, and suggested the new party was not equipped for that responsibility. He urged AIADMK cadres to explain to young voters that “cinema is different, politics is different” and appealed to TVK supporters to consolidate their votes behind the AIADMK to defeat the DMK. Velumani appealed to alliance partners to set aside minor internal differences. “The DMK is our only enemy. We must work together with a single-minded focus to ensure a victory margin of over 50,000 votes,” he said.
