PM knows he can't control or pressurise Stalin, says Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi knew that he could not control or pressurise Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, as he was independent, and hence wanted the AIADMK to capture power so that he could exercise his control over the state. The Prime Minister could continue dreaming, but the reality will be strikingly visible on the day the Tamil Nadu Assembly election results were announced (on May 4) when the DMK-Congress combine would sweep the polls in the state, he said. Addressing a poll rally here, Rahul said no matter what he does, the prime minister cannot control the current chief minister of TN, M K Stalin. "He knows that Mr Stalin is independent and will not be pressurised. That is why he wants to remove Stalin and place a person he can control," the Congress leader claimed in a veiled reference to AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, who leads the NDA in the state. The prime minister could continue to dream whatever he wanted, but the reality would become visible to him on the day the election results were announced. "The DMK-Congress alliance is going to sweep the elections in TN. And Modi and (Union Home Minister Amit) Shah will understand the power and the will of the people of Tamil Nadu," Rahul said.