The election race in Tamil Nadu is on its full-speed with all the political parties in the fray are boxing each other to win the reign in the upcoming assembly polls, the first state election since the demise of Karunanidhi and Jayalalithaa. Having said that, it marks the first election for Edappadi Palaniswami as the Chief Minister and for Stalin as the DMK President. Both leaders are strongly hoping to take over the rule and signaling the heated contest, they are now fighting each other with the 'debate' challenge. 

Corruption has been the top talking point for the DMK against the ruling ADMK on the campaign trail. Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami, who is the CM candidate of the ADMK party in the upcoming elections, has been actively campaigning across the state and responding to the DMK allegations against the ADMK, Edappadi Palaniswami has challenged DMK President MK Stalin to come for a direct debate about corruption that he has been charging against the ruling party. 

The Chief Minister put out his challenge on Wednesday. He said that Stalin has been leveling a series of false allegations against the ADMK. Edappadi Palaniswami further called Stalin for a debate and said that he is ready to answer the questions asked by Stalin. On Thursday, Stalin accepted the challenge from the Chief Minister and said that he is ready for a direct debate on corruption with him. However, Stalin has put forth a condition for a debate and demanded the Chief Minister to meet his condition for the debate challenge. 

In his condition, Stalin has urged the Chief Minister to pass and adopt a resolution in the assembly asking the Governor to launch the probe into the corruption and allegations against him and the cabinet ministers. Stalin has also demanded the Chief Minister to come for the debate after filing a petition to remove the stay order against the investigations into the illegal tenders that were offered by the Chief Minister to his relatives. 

In his statement, Stalin said that Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami has been claiming without any shame that he is not involved in any corruption and the opposition leader slammed the Chief Minister that he is under the impression that people will accept whatever he says. Flaying the Chief Minister, Stalin said that Edappadi Palaniswami had earlier said to the court that there was nothing wrong with his relatives getting tender and now he claims that he is not aware of the participation of his relatives in the tender process. 

Stalin urged the Chief Minister to address the Governor saying that he is ready for the investigations. The opposition leader asked the Chief Minister to fix a date and place and bring all the ministers including Deputy Chief Minister Panneerselvam and claimed that he will expose the corruption charges against the Chief Minister and all the ministers during the debate. The drama of debate has come at a high time when the state is three months away from the legislative elections and when both the leaders are hoping to fill up the vacuum left by the departed political giants.