AIADMK leader and Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi K Palaniswami has challenged DMK chief MK Stalin to a one-on-one debate before the Tamil Nadu Assembly Election 2021. Speaking at the India Today Conclave-South 2021, CM Palaniswami said that he was ready to take on Stalin to answer various allegations leveled by the Opposition leader.

Answering a question about the corruption allegations leveled against him by the DMK, the AIADMK leader termed them baseless and claimed that it was the DMK that was riddled with graft accusations.

“Allegations of corruption against AIADMK are baseless. But during DMK’s reign, there were multiple such allegations and there are cases against several of their leaders. DMK leader has been slapping several baseless allegations,” CM Palaniswami said.

“That’s why I challenge DMK leader to come up on a stage and have a one-on-one debate with me. Without a single piece of paper, I am ready to have an on-stage debate with him,” Palaniswami said.

In his first-ever conclave-style interview to a media house, Edappadi K Palaniswami said that he was confident of his party’s victory in the Tamil Nadu polls.

Dismissing the claims of rising anti-incumbency against the AIADMK government, CM Palaniswami said that he only sees happy faces wherever he goes.

“Wherever I have gone, people have turned up in numbers. I am seeing happy faces wherever I go. The happy faces tell you the story. We have been addressing the concerns of the people good water and food, priority to education, employment to youth, etc. We have been making sure we are taking care of the interests of the people.”

On being asked about his party’s poor performance during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the AIADMK leader said that people know who they want at the Centre and who they want at the State.

“The 2019 election was to decide the power in the Centre. In the state election, we won several seats. People are voting depending on whom they want at the Centre and at the state. We have won by-elections after that,” he said.