CHENNAI: DMK chief spokesperson T K S Elangovan on Wednesday accused the AIADMK of copying DMK’s welfare schemes and misleading people with “false promises” ahead of the elections.

Reacting to the AIADMK’s poll manifesto, Elangovan told TNIE that when AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami was CM, he had dismissed several welfare schemes as impractical and accused the DMK of cheating people.

“What he refused to do earlier, we said we will do, and we have done it. Now he claims he will do the same,” Elangovan said.

Referring to AIADMK’s poll promises such as free bus travel for men and additional LPG cylinders, he alleged that these announcements were made under pressure from the BJP.

“By offering free bus travel for men, the intention is to weaken the transport corporations and eventually hand them over to private players. Public transport was nationalised during Kalaignar’s period. We introduced free bus travel for women because they go to work for meagre wages and should not spend a large portion of it on travel,” he said.

Elangovan accused the BJP of cheating people with unfulfilled promises such as Rs 15 lakh to every account and two crore jobs annually, and alleged that the AIADMK was acting as a “subordinate” of the BJP.

He also criticised the suspension of eight opposition MPs in the Lok Sabha, calling it an “attack on democracy”.

He alleged that the ruling showed disregard for parliamentary traditions, pointing out that the post of deputy speaker has remained vacant for a third consecutive term.