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The daughters of two former Union Ministers hit out at DMK youth wing president and Chepauk constituency candidate Udhayanidhi Stalin after he named them to suggest that Prime Minister Narendra Modi allegedly sidelined them to occupy his present post. During a recent campaign rally, Udhayanidhi Stalin said that Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley were sidelined by the Prime Minister and suggested that it eventually led to their deaths. Hitting back, Banusuri Swaraj and Sonali Jaitley Bakshi urged Udhayanidhi to refrain from using the names of their parents for his poll propaganda.
Taking to Twitter, Banusuri Swaraj said, “Udhayanidhi Stalin ji, please do not use my mother's memory for your poll propaganda! Your statements are false! PM Narendra Modi ji bestowed utmost respect and honour on my mother. In our darkest hour, the PM and party stood by us rock solid! Your statement has hurt us (sic).”
Arun Jaitley’s daughter, Sonali Jaitley Bakhshi, also hit out at the DMK leader and said, “Udhayanidhi Stalin ji, I know there is election pressure, but I won't stay silent when you lie and disrespect my father's memory. Dad Arun Jaitley and Narendra Modi ji shared a special bond that was beyond politics. I pray you are lucky enough to know such friendship.”
Both the leaders passed away in 2019. Former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj passed away due to a cardiac arrest while former Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley passed away at AIIMS in Delhi after complaining of breathlessness and restlessness.
In a campaign on Wednesday, Udhayanidhi Stalin said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to Dharapuram on Tuesday and kept a criticism against me. He said that I sidelined the party’s senior leaders and came through a shortcut. Did I come through a shortcut? Prime Minister Modi, who was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, came through a shortcut after sidelining other leaders.”
“People were saying Advani who took Rath Yatra in India will become the next PM but Modi sidelined him. Next Murali Manohar Joshi, (then) there was Jaswant Sinha and he was unable to bear the torture left the party. Sushma Swaraj could not handle the pressure and she died. Arun Jaitley also could not handle the torture and he died. PM also sidelined Venkaiah Naidu,” he alleged.
Udhayanidhi Stalin continued, “You sidelined so many people and came to power and I am not someone scared of you and to salute you because I am not Edappadi Palaniswami but Udhayanidhi Stalin, grandson of Kalaignar. I am a man with self-respect.”
The response of Udhayanidhi Stalin comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi who campaigned for NDA candidates at Dharapuram on Tuesday said, the crown of prince of DMK (MK Stalin’s son Udhayanidhi Stalin) sidelined many senior leaders and made horrible remarks but DMK did nothing to stop him.