DMK trying to confuse the minorities about alliance, says Edappadi K. Palaniswami

The ruling DMK is trying to confuse minority communities about electoral alliances to gain political mileage. But the AIADMK has always stood for their welfare, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami said on Thursday (February 26, 2026).

Speaking at a public meeting near Tambaram in Chennai, he also criticised the Tamil Nadu government for not registering a First Information Report (FIR) in connection with the alleged cash-for-jobs scam in Minister K.N. Nehru’s Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department, as directed by the Madras High Court. “Mr. Stalin, the [Assembly] election would be announced in the second week of next month. You will have to register an FIR legally. When it is done [the registration of an FIR], we all know what will happen,” he said.

‘We’re beyond religion’

Pointing out that electoral alliances were forged to consolidate votes and defeat rivals, Mr. Palaniswami said the DMK was trying to confuse the minority communities about the AIADMK’s alliance with the BJP and gain political mileage out of it. “Muslims should think this over. The AIADMK stands for all religions. It is beyond religion and caste. Our leaders have followed this principle. We too will follow it. We are not highlighting this to gain votes. Think about the welfare programmes implemented by the AIADMK government for your benefit and vote in the coming election,” he said.

Support for Kalam

Mr. Palaniswami recalled that his party supported the candidature of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam for President, while the DMK voted against him, though he hailed from the minority community and was also from Tamil Nadu. He listed the measures taken during AIADMK rule for the welfare of the Muslims.

The cost of construction materials was increasing, Mr. Palaniswami said, claiming that one could only dream of building a house. And the DMK  had promised in its 2021 election manifesto that it would control the cost of the construction materials.

The former Chief Minister said the DMK government should have distributed laptops to students at the beginning of the academic year and not at the end. “It is distributing laptops only because it fears defeat. But we distributed laptops not for electoral gains but for the welfare of students,” he said.