EPS: Met Shah to discuss Tamil Nadu’s deteriorating law and order
EPS reaffirmed that his 45-minute meeting with Shah focused only on Tamil Nadu’s issues, including law and order, corruption, and pending central funds.
Days after AIADMK general secretary Edappadi Palansiwami (EPS) met Union home minister Amit Shah in Delhi leading to speculation of them reviving their ties ahead of the 2026 assembly elections, Tamil Nadu’s Leader of Opposition said that the meeting was held to discuss issues such as state’s deteriorating law and order, corruption.
On Thursday, EPS reiterated that he met Shah – in a 45 minute meeting – to only raise issues in Tamil Nadu such as deteriorating law and order, corruption, need to release pending central funds, including for MGNREGA, and to support the state to continue its two-language formula.
Answering queries on alliance, he pointed out that the polls are slated next year and that “we will certainly inform media when alliance is formed.”
“Elections are 11 months away,” EPS told reporters, having said earlier that alliances will change according to situation and opportunity but their ideology will remain intact
“As far as the AIADMK is concerned, nobody other than DMK is an enemy for us. During election time, we will join hands with all like-minded parties,” the former chief minister told reporters on Thursday.
The meeting between EPS and Shah came 18 months after the AIADMK decided to walk away from the alliance and ahead of the 2024 parliamentary elections in which both parties were drubbed with the ruling DMK winning all the 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu. Following the meeting Shah posted on X that in 2026, an NDA government will be formed in Tamil Nadu.
Meanwhile, EPS continued to give mixed signals. The AIADMK backed the DMK’s resolution urging the Centre to withdraw the Wakf amendment bill on Thursday.
Responding to reporters’ queries on expelled AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam’s (OPS) comments on the possibility of his re-induction in the AIADMK, EPS said he would never take back leaders who were expelled.
EPS has been steadfast against leaders he expelled - O Panneerselvam (OPS), TTV Dhinakaran and his aunt V K Sasikala. While Dhinakaran joined the NDA before 2024 with his breakaway faction Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK), OPS was backed by the NDA as an independent candidate. “He (OPS) vandalised our office. We will never take him back. We have separated and that remains,” he said.
To a question on the Delhi visit of TN BJP chief K Annamalai, EPS said he was not aware about Annamalai’s visit. “You have to ask him (Annamalai) What can I tell you about what you should be asking him?” EPS said.
Annamalai has reportedly met Shah but refused to speak to reporters in Delhi on Thursday. He along with minister of state and his predecessor in the Tamil Nadu BJP unit, L Murugan met Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday in Delhi seeking approvals for local trains. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also scheduled to visit Tamil Nadu on April 6 to inaugurate the vertical lift in Pamban bridge in TN’s Rameshwaram.
