In a significant political development in Tamil Nadu, AIADMK General Secretary and Leader of Opposition Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) is set to travel to Delhi on Tuesday evening to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah. EPS will be accompanied by former minister and key party leader from western Tamil Nadu, S.P. Velusamy.
AIADMK spokesperson Kovai Sathyan confirmed to the media that EPS is heading to the national capital to meet Amit Shah but declined to provide further details on the purpose of the visit. The AIADMK and BJP were alliance partners during the 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, where the BJP secured four seats under the arrangement.
However, the alliance was severed on September 21, 2023, following tensions that arose after K. Annamalai took over as the BJP’s Tamil Nadu state president. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the AIADMK and BJP contested separately, forming individual alliances. Both parties suffered major setbacks, while the DMK-led coalition swept all the seats.
The breakdown in relations was largely attributed to Annamalai’s leadership, with AIADMK leaders accusing him of undermining the spirit of the alliance. Senior AIADMK figures have publicly stated that Annamalai lacked the political maturity and respect shown by previous BJP state presidents, particularly in acknowledging AIADMK’s leadership role in the state coalition.
Tensions peaked when Annamalai, in a media interview before the split, made a controversial remark referring to the late AIADMK supremo and former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa’s conviction in a corruption case.
The AIADMK leaders viewed the statement as a grave insult and subsequently passed a strongly worded resolution condemning Annamalai, citing his inexperience and lack of political acumen.
With the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections just over a year away, political observers are closely watching the moves. Both parties now face the challenge of overcoming past differences to pose a united front against the ruling DMK.
–IANS
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