AIADMK to make EPS face for CM in 2026 assembly polls

Tamil Nadu’s key opposition AIADMK’s general body met on Sunday and passed 26 resolutions, several of which was against the ruling DMK government besides resolving to make Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) chief minister again in 2026 when the state will have its assembly elections.

During the meeting, the party also urged the Union government to ensure devolution of funds to Tamil Nadu without partiality and to not go ahead with tungsten mining in Madurai. Leader of opposition and general secretary of the party Edappadi K Palaniswami announced that he would go on a state wide tour from January 2025.

EPS said that an alliance would be formed ahead of the election that is of interest to the party and beneficial for the people.

Attacking the DMK, he said: “DMK is scientifically corrupt party. Is a car race (Formula 4) needed for Tamil Nadu? DMK is a party for the rich not for poor. So far, more than 50 committees were formed by the government but there has been no outcome from any committee.”

“For the past one year, all government officials from different departments, teachers are protesting. Inflation is sky high. All prices have increased,” the opposition leader said at the general council.

EPS also said that the DMK is daydreaming by aiming to win 200 out of the 234 assembly seats in Tamil Nadu. “They are saying with arrogance that their party will win 200 seats. It is a dream and it can never become a reality,” he added.

This comes amid the AIADMK being at its weakest. All but one ally has jumped to the BJP after the AIADMK broke off from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) last September. The AIADMK has been on a losing streak facing defeat in every election since the death of J Jayalalithaa in December 2016 and EPS took over.

Among its resolutions passed urging the Union government to abandon tungsten mining in Madurai, the AIADMK blamed the Tamil Nadu government that it failed to intervene and halt the project.

Another resolution called for the BJP-led Union government to amend the Constitution to bring education back to the state list and condemned the DMK for not having kept its promise to abolish NEET.

However, the AIADMK took the DMK’s side on seeking central funds saying that the dues are not allowing the state to take up developmental projects.

Meanwhile, the DMK refused to grespond to the remarks of AIADMK.