Edappadi K. Palaniswami. File
| Photo Credit: E. Lakshmi Narayanan
An AIADMK delegation led by its general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, on Tuesday (January 6, 2026), presented a memorandum to Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi alleging corruption to the tune of ₹4 lakh crore by the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government.
Speaking to journalists outside the Lok Bhavan, he alleged that during the DMK regime, corruption had taken place in a number of departments, the value of which ran into over ₹4 lakh crore. He gave a department-wise break-up of his allegations and claimed that he had submitted “evidences” to substantiate his charges.
He wanted the Governor to take steps for the constitution of a commission of inquiry, headed by a former judge of the Supreme Court, to go into the allegations. Mr. Palaniswami wondered whether sections of the Tamil electronic media had conducted any talk show on the alleged corruption during the DMK government in the last four-and-a-half years.
According to him, the DMK regime in Tamil Nadu has been implementing the schemes of distribution of laptops to students free of cost and cash aid of ₹3,000 each to ration cardholders only with an eye on the coming Assembly elections.
The Leader of Opposition said he welcomed the resumption of laptop distribution, the scheme of which was launched when the previous AIADMK was in power with Jayalalithaa at the helm of affairs, but this was not being done keeping interests of students in mind.
The State government did not do anything for the last four years and had it taken into account the students’ requirements, the distribution could have been done at least at the commencement of the current academic year. “What is the benefit for third-year undergraduate students [in arts and science courses] who are about to complete their courses in a few months? But, the distribution is being done because the ruling party needs votes of such students,” Mr. Palaniswami pointed out, adding that those students, who were required to use laptops as part of their studies, had borrowed money for the purpose.
On the provision of financial assistance for the Pongal festival, Mr Palaniswami recalled that when he was the Chief Minister five years ago and his government had decided to give ₹2,500 to the ration cardholders each, Mr. Stalin who was in the Opposition then, had sought ₹ 5,000.
“This government’s every move is aimed at the elections. It is providing relief not out of realisation of the plight of people. The DMK has lost the confidence of people. It is suffering from the fear of defeat. Mr. Stalin has made this announcement cleverly with a view of deceiving people and getting their votes in a scientific way,” the AIADMK general secretary observed.
Among the leaders who were present when he called on Mr. Ravi were former Ministers C. Ve. Shanmugam, D. Jayakumar, K.P. Munusamy, Dindigul C. Sreenivasan and P. Thangamani.
Published – January 06, 2026 04:03 pm IST
