EPS Predicts AIADMK-DMK Showdown in 2026 Tamil Nadu Polls

AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami declared on Monday that the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election will be a straight contest between his party and the ruling DMK, dismissing claims by actor-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) of challenging the DMK.

In a PTI Videos interview, Palaniswami asserted that Tamil Nadu’s political landscape has historically been dominated by the two Dravidian giants, and voters recognize this reality despite other parties’ ambitions. Palaniswami, the Leader of Opposition, highlighted AIADMK’s 31-year governance, crediting it with transformative schemes that made Tamil Nadu a leading state.

He criticized the DMK’s four-year rule under Chief Minister M.K. Stalin as “anti-people,” alleging a decline in law and order, particularly citing rising crimes against women. He pointed to widespread protests by farmers, government employees, and various communities as evidence of public discontent with the DMK’s failure to introduce significant welfare measures.

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Confident of a landslide, Palaniswami predicted that the AIADMK-led alliance would secure 210 of the 234 Assembly seats in 2026, forming a government with a clear majority. He accused the DMK of promoting family politics and claimed its allies ignored the government’s “wrongs.”

With Tamil Nadu’s electorate at 6.23 crore and a history of alternating power between DMK and AIADMK since 1989, Palaniswami’s bold forecast signals a fierce electoral battle ahead. *Word count: 250*

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