EPS Says Meeting with Amit Shah Focused Only on Tamil Nadu Politics, Not Alliance
Edappadi Palaniswami clarifies Delhi meeting focused only on TN politics.
AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, speaking at Tamil Nadu House in Delhi on January 8, 2026, categorically stated that his recent meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah was solely to discuss the prevailing political situation in Tamil Nadu and that no discussions regarding any electoral alliance took place during the interaction.
The meeting assumed significance as it followed Palaniswami's announcement that the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) would join the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, prompting speculation about broader coalition arrangements; however, the AIADMK leader emphasized that alliance-related matters were not addressed with Shah, who had previously made it clear he would not interfere in the party's internal affairs.
Palaniswami explained that he could not meet Shah earlier during the Union Minister's visit to Pudukottai due to prior commitments, and he reiterated his firm position on internal party discipline by ruling out any possibility of VK Sasikala returning to the AIADMK or O Panneerselvam rejoining the organization, while asserting that the party remains united and strong under his leadership.
Also Read: PMK Joins NDA, Aligns with AIADMK-BJP for Tamil Nadu Assembly Polls 2026
Responding sharply to Chief Minister M K Stalin's repeated warnings against "outsiders" ruling Tamil Nadu, Palaniswami countered that the AIADMK leads its own alliance independently, highlighted the DMK's past associations including its 1999 tie-up with the BJP, and recalled historical events like the Emergency, MISA detentions, and anti-Hindi agitations to argue that political alliances evolve with changing circumstances and that the people of Tamil Nadu remain supreme over any individual leader or party.
The former Chief Minister further accused the ruling DMK government of severe failures in governance, pointing to the deterioration of law and order across the state, the mounting public debt of Rs 5.5 lakh crore, and ongoing allegations of major financial irregularities, for which relevant documents had been submitted to the Governor, leading to Enforcement Directorate scrutiny and eventual FIR registration following court intervention.
Also Read: "End Dynasty Rule in 2026": EPS as AIADMK Steps Up Attack on DMK
