“No place for NDA in Tamil Nadu, Dravidian Model 2.0 will continue”: IP Senthil Kumar

Dindigul (Tamil Nadu) [India], April 12 (ANI): DMK's Dindigul constituency candidate IP Senthil Kumar on Sunday expressed confidence in the party's prospects in the region, asserting that the ground situation was favourable for the ruling party and crediting the Chief Minister's welfare schemes for a strong public response.
Accepting the party leadership's decision to field him from Dindigul, IP Senthil Kumar said he was fully committed to the campaign and claimed that the electorate was supportive of the DMK.
Speaking to ANI, IP Senthil Kumar said, "I have accepted the decision taken by the leadership and am contesting in Dindigul. The ground situation is favourable, and the Chief Minister's schemes have reached the people. There is a good response from the public. Former AIADMK minister and senior leader Dindigul Srinivasan has not done anything for the people of Dindigul so far. Since he has nothing to claim while seeking votes, he is making personal criticisms against me. However, the people are aware of everything."
He also slammed the AIADMK leadership in the constituency, accusing it of failing to deliver on development and alleging that voters were now aware of what he described as "personal criticisms" being made due to lack of achievements.
He further ruled out space for the National Democratic Alliance in the state, asserting that the Dravidian model would continue its dominance.
"There is no place for the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) in Tamil Nadu. The Dravidian Model 2.0 will continue in the state. I have no opinion about the film Jananayagam starring Vijay. How could we have released that film online? All rights to the film remain with their side. When that is the case, how can we be responsible for releasing it online? It is Vijay's side that released the film online. All this is a form of politics--this is a political drama," Senthil Kumar said.
On the language policy debate, Senthil Kumar reiterated the DMK's long-standing position opposing the three-language formula and supporting Tamil Nadu's existing model.
"For Tamil Nadu, the two-language policy alone is appropriate. The three-language policy is not suitable for the state. It is being imposed on Tamil Nadu students, but the state will not accept it."
Tamil Nadu Assembly elections will go to the polls in a single phase on April 23, with counting scheduled for May 4.
The main contest 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 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 could turn the contest into a three-way fight. (ANI)