In a fiery rebuttal, AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami lashed out at AMMK chief TTV Dhinakaran on Thursday, dismissing allegations that he covered his face with a cloth after meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on September 16. Speaking to reporters in Salem, Palaniswami accused Dhinakaran of making comments with an "ulterior motive" and asserted that he did not wear a "mask" to conceal his identity when leaving Shah’s residence.

The controversy stems from Dhinakaran’s claim on September 17 that Palaniswami exited Shah’s residence discreetly, covering his face and sending senior AIADMK colleagues away in a separate car. Mocking Palaniswami, Dhinakaran suggested the moniker "Mask Palaniswami," implying secrecy in the meeting. Palaniswami hit back, alleging that Dhinakaran himself had once "entered the AIADMK with a mask" before being expelled by late party supremo J Jayalalithaa in 2011.

The public spat unfolds amid internal AIADMK tensions, with senior leader KA Sengottaiyan recently advocating for the re-admission of expelled leaders like O Panneerselvam. Palaniswami clarified that Amit Shah had previously stated he would not interfere in AIADMK’s internal affairs, reinforcing the party’s autonomy in handling such matters.

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Palaniswami also questioned Dhinakaran’s motives, linking them to recent AIADMK demands for conferring the Bharat Ratna posthumously on freedom fighter Pasumpon U Muthramalinga Thevar. He noted that after the AIADMK renewed its alliance with the BJP in April 2025, Dhinakaran had distanced his AMMK from the AIADMK while maintaining its ties to the NDA.

The verbal duel highlights ongoing rivalries within Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, with Palaniswami defending his transparency and leadership while accusing Dhinakaran of sowing discord. As the AIADMK navigates its alliance dynamics and internal challenges, this clash underscores the high stakes of political posturing ahead of future electoral battles.

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