In a decisive move, AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) has unequivocally stated that there is no possibility of re-admitting expelled leaders O Panneerselvam (OPS) and V K Sasikala back into the party fold. This firm declaration came on Thursday, following a late-night meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his residence in New Delhi.
A Firm Stand on Expelled Leaders
Addressing journalists at the Delhi airport, Palaniswami left no room for ambiguity. "There is no place for OPS and Sasikala in the AIADMK," he asserted. He emphasized that this was not a new position but a stance he had clarified on multiple occasions, and the party's resolution on the matter remained unwavering. This statement directly addressed speculation about the expelled leaders' potential return ahead of the crucial Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
The meeting with Amit Shah, which began around 10:20 PM and extended late into the night, was a focal point of discussion. However, EPS clarified that the talks did not revolve around alliance configurations. "We did not talk about alliance issues," he said, noting that the conversation was confined to analysing the prevailing political situation in Tamil Nadu.
Alliance Dynamics and Internal Autonomy
Palaniswami took the opportunity to rebut criticism from Chief Minister M K Stalin, who had accused the AIADMK of being subservient to the BJP. EPS countered by stating that the AIADMK itself leads the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) front in Tamil Nadu. He reiterated a shared sentiment, saying, "The State should be governed by its own people, not from Delhi," and expressed confidence that his party would form its own government.
He also defended the alliance's independence, asserting that Amit Shah had made it clear he would not interfere in the AIADMK's internal affairs when the partnership was revived in April last year. Branding the AIADMK-led front a "victorious alliance," EPS welcomed the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) into the combine and predicted that more parties would join to unseat the incumbent DMK government.
Evasion on AMMK and Attacks on DMK
When questioned about the potential inclusion of T T V Dhinakaran's Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) in the alliance, Palaniswami offered an elusive response. "Only if secrecy is maintained will a political move have merit," he remarked, neither confirming nor denying the possibility.
The AIADMK chief launched a sharp critique against the ruling DMK. He accused the party of running a negative campaign and fabricating a narrative by labelling the BJP as a "communal force." He reminded critics that the DMK had itself allied with the BJP in the past and been part of the Union Cabinet. According to EPS, the DMK, having no substantive criticism of the AIADMK's pre-2021 tenure, was resorting to such rhetoric to undermine the present opposition alliance.
Palaniswami also targeted Chief Minister Stalin's flagship Tamil Nadu Assured Pension Scheme, dismissing it as a "political gimmick" designed to mislead government employees on the eve of elections. In a serious allegation, he claimed the DMK government had indulged in corruption amounting to a staggering Rs 4 lakh crore.
As Tamil Nadu gears up for the Assembly polls, EPS's statements mark a clear consolidation of his authority within the AIADMK and set the stage for a fiercely contested electoral battle, with the BJP-AIADMK alliance aiming to reclaim power.
