It will always be DMK vs AIADMK; Many tried but failed to change it: EPS

Our votebank is safe as people have benefited from schemes of MGR, Jayalalithaa, says EPS

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami distributing assistance at the party headquarters on Tuesday (Photo | Express)

CHENNAI: AIADMK general secretary and leader of opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami on Tuesday said many players have tried to alter the bipolarity of Tamil Nadu’s politics dominated by the two Dravidian majors, but failed.

He said this while responding to a question from a reporter whether the entry of actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam would alter Tamil Nadu’s political battlefield that has remained between DMK and AIADMK for the past 55 years.

Palaniswami also asserted that no one can attract the votes of AIADMK since people have benefitted from the welfare schemes of former chief ministers MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa. He, however, declined to directly comment on the political stance taken by TVK while just observing that every party has their own policies and Vijay has spelt out his.

He made these remarks while responding to queries from reporters at the AIADMK headquarters after disbursing financial assistance of `one lakh each to 167 members of the party-affiliated Anna Thozhil Sanga Peravai and families of workers from other states where AIADMK has its units.

Asked whether Vijay is trying to attract AIADMK cadres’ votes by hailing MGR, Palaniswami said both MGR and Jayalalithaa were shining examples of how political leaders should conduct themselves and therefore one cannot attribute other motives to Vijay for highlighting MGR as a model for serving people.

Palaniswami further said AIADMK is a party that has celebrated its golden jubilee and ruled the state for over three decades. It will forge an electoral alliance based on the prevailing political scenario at the time of the elections. “We will form a strong alliance for the 2026 Assembly elections and will come to power again.”

On Vijay’s readiness to share power with alliance partners, Palaniswami said, “Each political party has its own policy. On that basis, Vijay has expressed his party’s views. So, we can’t say this is correct or wrong.” When pointed out that Vijay did not criticise the AIADMK, Palaniswami quipped, “That shows the AIADMK is functioning well.”