Edappadi K Palaniswami, AIADMK general secretary, who is on a whirlwind tour of Tamil Nadu as part of his ‘Makkalai Kaapom - Tamizhagathai Meetpom’ (Let us protect people, retrieve Tamil Nadu) campaign, spoke to TNIE’s T Muruganandham near Courtallam in Tenkasi district in an exclusive interview. He spoke about his party’s electoral prospects, the alleged failures of the DMK, and the AIADMK’s stance on coalition government. Edited excerpts:
You have completed your campaign in more than 50 assembly constituencies. What is your assessment of the people’s mood?
I have been able to sense clearly that the people desire a change in Tamil Nadu’s politics and governance. Moreover, the people believe that only the AIADMK can bring that change. There is overwhelming support for me and the party.
You have begun this campaign eight months ahead of the election. Are there any specific reasons?
Being a farmer, I’ve taken to heart the saying ‘kaalathey payir sei’ (cultivate / sow at the right time). Doing that ensures success. Hence, I chose a reliable partnership (with the BJP) and entered the field early with them. If one starts campaigning only during the heat of the election season, it is impossible to reach out to people in all 234 constituencies.
You have expressed your concern about Tamil Nadu’s debt burden. There is a perception that no government has taken concrete measures to bring down the debt. Do you have a plan?
We will cut down on extravagant spending and concentrate on welfare schemes. We will not roll out schemes for self-promotion or those that won’t benefit the people.
With available resources, we will fulfil people’s requirements. We are not the DMK to make promises that cannot be fulfilled. When we were in power, I used to review the fiscal situation often and devise schemes accordingly. Capex would be mostly high while lowering revenue expenditure. Borrowing cannot be avoided. However, the debt should be within limits. When the DMK government completes five years, it would have borrowed nearly `5.38 lakh crore. How can this be repaid? Strangely, revenue receipts have gone up, but the borrowing has also gone up, all without implementing any new or huge schemes. This is a clear case of inefficient governance.
You have been vociferous in attacking the DMK on the law and order situation. But they say the crime rate has come down, citing data.
During the past 50 months of the DMK rule, crimes have increased. The wide prevalence of narcotic substances in particular has been destroying the lives of our youths and students.
Young girls to elderly women are not able to walk safely on the roads. They are subjected to sexual assaults. Consumption of drugs is the key reason for all these.
Anti-social elements from other states come to Tamil Nadu, commit crimes and escape. Those committing crimes do not fear the police, while the police are fearing for their own lives. If someone from DMK commits a crime, the police are not able to take proper action. We will end all these, uphold the rule of law and restore the dignity of our police force.
But DMK has also defended its performance in controlling drugs…
I raised the issue in the Assembly when the prevalence of narcotic substances increased in the second year of the present government and urged them to act. They failed. Now, it has increased manifold, from villages to towns.
There is a perception that BJP will interfere even if the AIADMK forms the government on its own…
The DMK and its allies, who are afraid of the AIADMK-BJP alliance, have been spreading such malicious propaganda. The AIADMK-led alliance will win. The AIADMK will form the government by securing an absolute majority.
You have already clarified your stance on the coalition government. Nevertheless, would you confirm that even if AIADMK gets majority on its own, BJP will not be part of the cabinet?
We can’t answer hypothetical questions. We have already made our stance clear.
DMK is constantly alleging that you have not imposed any conditions on key issues that matter to Tamil Nadu like the NEET, three-language formula or release of Samagra Shiksha funds for allying with the BJP. However, you have recently said that the announcement of the caste census and exempting the farmers from submitting CIBIL scores for availing loans were based on your demands. Has the AIADMK made any other such demands to the BJP?
The demands you mentioned in the question pertain to the central government. We are going to face the assembly election in 2026. Please pose these questions without fail in 2029 (Lok Sabha election). Moreover, you forgot that on various occasions, the DMK was part of the central governments. They did not make any efforts to bring Education from the Concurrent List (of the Constitution) to the State List.
The DMK was part of the Congress-led government when they introduced NEET, methane exploration project and banned Jallikattu. Tamil Nadu people won’t forget.
How are you so confident that the AIADMK-led alliance will win 210 seats?
I have been listening to people pouring their hearts out about their hardships. The DMK has not fulfilled even 10% of its poll promises. The people will gift a resounding defeat to the DMK, by ignoring its money and muscle power.
There is a perception that the AIADMK’s vote share has eroded recently.
Increase and fall in vote shares depend mainly on situations prevailing at that time. The DMK, which lost its deposit in the bypoll to RK Nagar constituency in 2017, won the 2021 election.
Can the AIADMK secure minorites’ votes despite allying with the BJP?
The people from minority communities know well that the AIADMK would not use them as vote banks as the DMK does. They clearly understand that the AIADMK has stood by them, whether we are in power or not. We are sure that they will vote for us as they have always done.
You have invited many parties to your alliance, but many have rejected the invite.
I didn’t name any party and invite them. What I said was that all parties that are keen to unseat the DMK in 2026 can come together (with us).
With eight months to go, do you believe in forming a strong alliance?
The AIADMK is a popular party that has mass support of the people and earned their goodwill for over 50 years through several welfare measures.
However, to defeat a politically powerful adversary, a strong alliance becomes strategically important. Many parties are trying to hold talks with us. We expect a formidable alliance to be formed.
Your emphasis on forging a strong alliance has also attracted a sense of disappointment from certain sections that it is an indication of AIADMK not being confident to contest alone.
The AIADMK has proven many times that it can win on its own, including in the 2014 Lok Sabha and 2016 Assembly elections.
When the ruling DMK is using their money power to enslave parties to face the elections, it is amusing that you are asking us if we can contest alone. Please ask DMK president and CM MK Stalin if he is willing to contest without an alliance. Let me know what he says. I will answer then.
Q: There are rumours that bitterness from the past still prevails between functionaries of the AIADMK and the BJP.
A: There is no bitterness in the AIADMK-BJP alliance. Functionaries and cadres are working together. BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran himself took part in my campaign in various places. We will register a massive victory.
Q: Former CM O Panneerselvam has snapped ties with the NDA. He immediately met the DMK president, after which he said there are no permanent foes or friends. How do you see his decision?
A: Please get the answer from him.