AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami intensified his offensive against the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), urging the electorate to decisively terminate the party's long-standing family-dominated administration in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, framing the contest as a referendum on ending dynastic politics that he claims has stifled genuine public service.

During a well-attended public rally in Salem's Veerapandi constituency on January 5, 2026, as part of his statewide ‘Makkalai Kaappom, Tamilagathai Meetpom’ outreach campaign, Palaniswami pointed to visible fissures in the DMK-led coalition, specifically highlighting the lack of clarity on whether the Indian National Congress would sustain its partnership through the election cycle or exit prematurely amid reported internal discord.

Palaniswami lambasted the DMK regime for systemic neglect of developmental priorities over much of its term, asserting that Chief Minister MK Stalin's sudden flurry of scheme announcements reflects panic over impending electoral reversal, while key infrastructure initiatives launched under the prior AIADMK government—such as the ambitious 100-lake rejuvenation project designed to irrigate and benefit four Assembly segments in Salem district—have been deliberately abandoned and left to deteriorate.

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He drew attention to mounting statewide discontent manifested through frequent protests by sanitation workers, teachers, farmers, and government employees, coupled with a marked decline in law and order that has created an atmosphere of insecurity, particularly for women and children, citing a recent assault on a migrant worker aboard a train as evidence of administrative failure and noting the continued vacancy in the post of permanent Director General of Police despite persistent demands from the opposition.

In a sharp critique of DMK's internal hierarchy, Palaniswami accused the leadership of sidelining seasoned figures like Duraimurugan despite decades of political experience, in favor of promoting Udhayanidhi Stalin to the position of Deputy Chief Minister with minimal prior exposure, illustrating what he described as the party's entrenched preference for familial succession over meritocratic advancement.

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