Pudukottai: Former BJP state president K Annamalai on Thursday launched a sharp attack on DMK, asserting that an AIADMK-led govt would return to power after the May 4 election results.At a gathering in Aranthangi, he expressed confidence that Edappadi K Palaniswami would assume office as chief minister. He accused the DMK govt of curtailing central welfare benefits, claiming that the number of beneficiaries receiving 6,000 annual assistance in Pudhukottai had dropped from 1.37 lakh before 2021 to 83,000 after DMK came to power. He said an AIADMK-led rule would reinstate them.Annamalai also dismissed DMK’s claim of introducing 50% reservation for women in local body elections, attributing the policy to the late CM J Jayalalithaa. He criticized Stalin for “focusing on issues like Delhi, Hindi, and boycotts” instead of good governance. TNN
