Thanjavur (Tamil Nadu) | Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Monday hit out at Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for criticising Chief Minister M K Stalin on the language row and said the state will never accept the three-language formula, but will follow the dual language policy of Tamil and English.

Claiming that the Centre was forcing Tamil Nadu to implement the National Education Policy, paving the way for thrusting Hindi upon the state, he said accepting the NEP would mean allowing the Centre to thrust Hindi upon Tamil Nadu.

"We will never accept it. We will always follow the two language policy of Tamil and English," Udhayanidhi said while campaigning for the DMK candidate Durai Chandrasekaran in Thiruvaiyaru in the district.

He appealed to the party members and public to ensure an overwhelming win for Chandrasekaran for the sixth time from Thiruvaiyaru. "I promise that I will take up his case with CM Stalin and elevate him as state minister if you make him emerge victorious in the April 23 election by a hefty victory margin of 50,000 votes," he said as the crowd cheered.

Also, the DMK youth wing secretary assured to visit Thanjavur every month and meet the people if Chandrasekharan was made to win.

"We won seven out of eight assembly seats in Thanjavur district in 2021 election. This time we should make sure of cent per cent victory. Like former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, and CM M K Stalin say, I am also a (Cauvery) Delta man. So, I will visit Thanjavur every month if you send eight MLAs from this district," he said.

Udhayanidhi hit out at AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami for labelling him as "inexperienced" and said that he lacked Palaniswami's experience of "falling at the feet of leaders to sustain himself."