‘Strong’ AIADMK-BJP combine will prevail over ‘large DMK alliance’, asserts Palaniswami

Overwhelming support of masses for the ‘strong’ AIADMK-BJP alliance will negate whatever large alliance the DMK looks to forge for the 2026 Assembly election, said AIADMK general secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami here on Tuesday.

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s “jittery” reaction in the Assembly to the formation of AIADMK-BJP alliance was an acknowledgement of the strength, Mr. Palaniswami claimed, during his roadshow at Thondamuthur.

Mr. Stalin was day-dreaming about returning to power by winning in over 200 constituencies, Mr. Palaniswami said while asserting he could gauge the people’s wish to reinstate AIADMK from their response to his campaign in 140 Assembly segments so far.

All through the campaign lasting close to five hours, starting off with a road show at Selvapuram followed by his speeches at Thondamuthur, Kuniamuthur and Sundarapuram, Mr. Palaniswami frequently unleashed his no-holds-barred attack on the DMK regime, and kept warning that corrupt ministers would be prosecuted once the AIADMK formed the government.

The AIADMK will, “upon assuming power”, establish 4,000 Amma Clinics, and restore the vibrancy of Amma Unavagams, the schemes he sought to explain were diluted by the DMK regime due to fear that they would entrench the goodwill of his party’s earlier stints in people’s minds.

The DMK regime has angered farmers by registering cases against them for excavating soil from own lands for personal use, Mr. Palaniswami said.

The government least cared about the escalating costs of essentials and construction materials, he said.

Launch of the second phase of Athikadavu-Avinashi project for ensuring adequacy of water for irrigation and drinking purpose, restoration of free laptops for students, and steps to mitigate human-animal conflict in villages on forest fringes ranked high among the assurances Mr. Palaniswami made upon re-election as Chief Minister.