T.N. Assembly poll an opportunity for voters to choose between Modi and Stalin: Udhayanidhi

Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin said on Tuesday (March 31, 2026) that the Tamil Nadu Assembly election will provide an opportunity to voters to choose between the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre and the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) led by DMK president and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin.

Addressing party cadre and residents in Tiruvannamalai to seek votes for incumbent Tiruvannamalai MLA and Minister for Highways E.V. Velu as part of the party’s election campaign, Mr. Udhayanidhi recalled the stand taken by Mr. Stalin, that the forthcoming elections will be a contest between the BJP-led Centre in New Delhi and the ruling DMK government led by Mr. Stalin, who wants to retrieve the rights of the State. “Edappadi K. Palaniswami (the AIADMK general secretary) has always been a hardcore slave to the ruling BJP at the Centre. Tamil Nadu will never give a foothold to the BJP and its allies in the State,” he said.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that the AIADMK and the BJP had planned to halt the ₹1,000 monthly rights grant for beneficiaries under the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam (KMUT), citing the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. However, Mr. Stalin, anticipating this, had credited ₹5,000 each into the bank accounts of 1.31 crore women family heads, who were beneficiaries under the scheme.

“The electorate should support the DMK this election, too, to enable the party to continue the existing welfare schemes under Dravidian Model 2.0. The enhancement of existing schemes are also listed in the 2026 election manifesto of the party,” he said.

Mr. Udhayanidhi expressed confidence that the voters of the temple town of Tiruvannamalai will re-elect the incumbent MLA Mr. Velu for a third term. Several developmental works have been completed in the district during his tenure as MLA. Some of them include the widening of the Tiruvannamalai-Dharmapuri-Harur High Road into a four-lane stretch, a health centre on the Girivalam path, the conversion of Mada Streets around Arunachaleswara temple into concrete stretches, and a new modern bus terminus, he said.