Tiruchirappalli (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 27 : Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) party candidate from the Thiruverumbur constituency, Jallikattu Rajesh, on Friday began his campaign by participating in the cleaning drive of hyacinth in the Mavadi Kulam lake.

Speaking to ANI, Rajesh slammed the Tamil Nadu School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi and DMK leader, saying that he did not take any steps in the cleaning of the lake despite several petitions being submitted.
"Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi from DMK, who is currently the sitting MLA and a minister representing this constituency, has not taken any steps to desilt or clean the lake. Despite submitting petitions multiple times, no action has been taken so far," he said.
"Therefore, as part of the election campaign, I have taken up the task of cleaning the lake today. Sustained efforts would be made to clean, conserve, and maintain the water body, ensuring long-term water security and ecological balance for the region," he added.
The remarks come ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. With the polls just around the corner, the DMK has concluded a series of critical seat-sharing arrangements with its alliance partners.
The Congress will contest 28 seats as part of the DMK-led front.
Meanwhile, under the NDA seat-sharing agreement, the alliance led by the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam will contest over 170 seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been allotted 27 seats, followed by the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) with 18 seats, and the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) with 11 seats.
Tamil Nadu will go to the polls in a single phase on April 23, with counting scheduled for May 4.
The main electoral contest is expected between the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA), which also includes Congress, DMDK, and the VCK, and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by AIADMK with the BJP and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) as allies. Actor-turned-politician Vijay is set to make his electoral debut with TVK, attempting to turn the upcoming elections into a three-way contest.