ED raids on TN minister's premises to divert attention from Opposition meet: CM MK Stalin
While there has been no official confirmation from the ED regarding the raids, sources familiar with the situation revealed that Ponmudi, a DMK minister, was being subjected to a raid in connection with a case involving purported losses to the exchequer during his tenure as a minister in the DMK government from 2007 to 2011.
FollowTamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday (July 17) said that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was carrying out raids at the premises of state minister K Ponmudi. Stalin also that that the raid was part of the tactics of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre to divert attention from the Opposition meeting in Bengaluru.
The Tamil Nadu CM said their meetings to get rid of the BJP has become a major irritant for the ruling party at the Centre and that it was now using the ED like it has been doing in the northern parts of the country. "But the DMK is not worried about it," Stalin said before leaving for Bengaluru for the second two-day meeting of the non-BJP leaders.
While there has been no official confirmation from the ED regarding the raids, sources familiar with the situation revealed that Ponmudi, a DMK minister, was being subjected to a raid in connection with a case involving purported losses to the exchequer during his tenure as a minister in the DMK government from 2007 to 2011.
It is noteworthy that another DMK minister, V Senthil Balaji, was arrested on June 14 following ED raids at his premises. Balaji subsequently underwent heart surgery, adding a significant development to the ongoing investigations.
Stalin said a "false case" was registered against Ponmudi when DMK's arch-rival All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) was in power. "The case was registered 13 years ago and the AIADMK was in power for 10 years [2011-2021] but they did not take any action," Stalin said.
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Continuing the momentum after their initial meeting in Patna on June 23, where 15 parties convened, non-BJP leaders, including Stalin, were scheduled to assemble in Bengaluru. The Bengaluru meeting aimed to further solidify their alliance by exploring joint programs at the national level. Notably, the discussion of possible seat adjustments among the parties was to be left to the respective state units.
An increase in the number of participating parties was anticipated, with a total of 24 parties expected to attend the Bengaluru gathering, nine more than the Patna meeting, signaling the growing strength of the alliance.
