AIADMK's Sellur K Raju accuses DMK of extortion from business establishments in Madurai

Former AIADMK minister and Madurai West MLA Sellur K Raju on Tuesday came down heavily on the ruling DMK, accusing it of extortion from business establishments and a lack of development initiatives.

Former AIADMK minister and Madurai West MLA Sellur K Raju on Tuesday came down heavily on the ruling DMK, accusing it of extortion from business establishments. He slammed the DMK and its MP from the Madurai constituency while campaigning for AIADMK's candidate from the constituency P Saravanan.

"There are many gold jewellery workshops here. In the DMK regime, they collect money from jewellery shops by blackmailing the shop owners. DMK even extorted money from Idli shops," Raju said. He claimed that the AIADMK government reversed the situation, resulting in the prosperity of small businesses in Madurai.

"Then they (small business owners) requested us. After that, after AIADMK came to power, we arrested criminals and prevented crimes. As a result, those small, idli shops have become huge enterprises," Raju added. He alleged that Madurai MP S Venkatesan rarely met people in his constituency. He also said that the DMK government has no plan for the development of Madurai.

"We have continuously come up with various schemes for the development of Madurai. But no plan was brought in the DMK regime. The Madurai MP, who has never come and met the people, is now coming to ask for votes during the election," he said. "So vote for our candidate Saravanan in the double leaf symbol. The Jewellers Association has made various demands. Saravanan will do it if he wins the election," he added.

Saravanan, a doctor by profession, was elected from the Tirupparankundram Assembly segment on the DMK ticket in the 2019 by-election. After he was denied a ticket by the DMK in the 2021 Assembly polls, he joined the BJP, of which he was earlier a member in 2015, and contested the Assembly elections from Madurai North. He lost the elections. Later, he quit the BJP and joined the AIADMK in 2023. (ANI)

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