CHENNAI: Questioning actor-politician Vijay’s dedication to the people, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday launched an attack against the TVK chief saying that what’s the point in being a party leader if he (Vijay) can’t reach out to those in trouble and be a comfort to them.
Referring to the recent Karur stampede that claimed 41 lives, Palaniswami said Vijay had failed to visit or console the affected families.
“A political leader who can’t even offer condolences to the victims’ families, what is the purpose of running a party,” he asked, stressing that governance required experience and responsibility, not just popularity. Palanswami contrasted this with his own outreach, stating that he personally visited around 32 districts during the Covid-19 pandemic despite the risks.
Addressing reporters at the AIADMK Suburban District office, where he welcomed around 3,000 cadre from various parties into the AIADMK, Palaniswami said alliance talks were under way with a few political parties and details would be announced only after they were finalised.
Hitting out at the DMK government, Palaniswami alleged that the ruling party was all talk and no action when it came to development.
“The DMK is only making announcements and indulging in photo opportunities without delivering any real development. As many as 52 committees have been formed for various schemes, but there is no information on what progress these committees have made,” he alleged.
Palaniswami also alleged serious financial irregularities, claiming that nearly `2,000 crore had been allocated to the highways department for 2026-27 even before the budget was passed in the Assembly, with agreements signed as early as January 2026. Terming this a violation of rules, he said all such orders and tenders would be cancelled when “we (AIADMK) return to power”.
Countering the DMK’s criticism that the AIADMK was “camping in Delhi near (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah’s office”, Palaniswami said it was, in fact, the DMK that had sent its leaders to the national capital. Referring to DMK MP Kanimozhi’s recent meetings with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, he said effectively it was the DMK office that had shifted to Delhi. He also remarked that the role of the Congress within the DMK-led alliance remained uncertain, with leaders of both parties verbally attacking each other.
Speaking at the party event earlier, Palaniswami also alleged that the DMK had failed to fulfil even a quarter of its poll promises. He accused the current regime of betraying government employees by replacing the promised Old Pension Scheme (OPS) with a modified version of the centre’s Unified Pension Scheme, renamed as TamilNadu Assured Pension Scheme (TAPS).
Responding to CM M K Stalin’s remark branding him a “10-time loser”, Palaniswami said the DMK should remember that in 2011 it failed to even secure the position of the Opposition party.
No chance of readmitting Panneerselvam: EPS
Salem/Theni: AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday said there was no possibility of readmitting former CM O Panneerselvam into the party. Reacting to Panneerselvam’s statement earlier in the day that he was ready to return to the AIADMK, Palaniswami told reporters in Salem that the decision to remove him was taken by the AIADMK general council and hence cannot be reversed.
Earlier, Panneerselvam, who convened a meeting of his supporters in Theni, told reporters he was ready to rejoin the AIADMK and asked if Palaniswami and AMMK chief T T V Dhinakaran were ready to accept him. “Both Dhinakaran and my dear elder brother Palaniswami want the AIADMK to win, and I share the same view. If Dhinakaran wishes, efforts should be made to facilitate unity,” he said.