Vellore (Tamil Nadu) [India], May 17 (ANI): Coming out strongly against the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu, the BJP's Lok Sabha candidate from Chennai South, Tamilisai Soundararajan accused the state government of pushing drugs and narcotics into the state and also encouraging a culture of violence that comes with it.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, the former Telangana governor said the state was at risk of mainstreaming the drug culture, with the 'office bearers' of the DMK doubling up as 'drug peddlers'.

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Going all guns blazing at the DMK regime led by Chief Minister MK Stalin, Soundarajan said, "The drug peddlers in Tamil Nadu are members or office-bearers of the DMK. What do they have to say about members and office-bearers of the ruling party encouraging the culture of drugs and violence in the state?"

Speaking to ANI, the BJP leader said, "Yesterday, a Tamil Nadu court condemned the government for fostering a nexus between the police and drug peddlers. How does this nexus operate? Now that the Opposition parties and a local court have condemned the rising drug trade, the CM has decided to convene a meeting. What action has been taken so far? There is a nexus between DMK, police and drug peddlers in the state. There should be a crackdown on this nexus."

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Taking a further swipe at the government, the former Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry said, "Drugs, knives, and guns have pervaded every corner of Tamil Nadu. Just yesterday, in Tirunelveli, guns and knives were found hidden below the seats of a bus. Fortunately, I was travelling by the Vande Bharat Express. I could have been on that bus as well."

"The culture of drugs and violence is no different from the DMK culture in Tamil Nadu," the BJP's Lok Sabha candidate added.

Earlier, BJP leaders in Tamil Nadu alleged that the election team of their state chief Annamalai was receiving threats from the ruling DMK, adding that they were asked to leave Chennai or 'suffer the consequences'.

Chennai-based industrialist RN Jayaprakash, who recently joined the BJP in the presence of the party's national president JP Nadda in Chennai, was one of Annamalai's core team members who was allegedly targeted by the DMK during the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)