CHENNAI: After Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement that the chief minister candidate will indeed be from the AIADMK, it is not right for anyone (in the BJP) to make contradictory statements, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) said on Saturday during the unveiling of the logo and jingle of the party’s state-wide campaign ‘Let’s Protect the People, Let’s Save Tamil Nadu’ at the party headquarters.
He was responding to a question from reporters on the resistance among a section of the BJP to the chief minister candidate being from the AIADMK. “The decisions are made in Delhi,” Palaniswami said.
Meanwhile, Palaniswami also said the party is happy to include those with similar objective of defeating the DMK, in response to a question on whether the AIADMK would extend an invitation to TVK to form an alliance. “We are open to aligning with all parties that seek to oust the anti-people DMK regime. We would be happy to ally with anyone who shares this objective. They too must cooperate for the larger cause.”
Actor Vijay, who on Friday had said that his party will never form an alliance with the BJP and the DMK.
As part of the campaign, EPS will visit 33 Assembly constituencies, beginning from Mettupalayam in Coimbatore district on July 7 and concluding in Pattukkottai, Thanjavur district, on July 23.
“I always stand with the people. This campaign will galvanise support and trigger major political change in the coming elections,” he told reporters.
Hitting out at Chief Minister MK Stalin, Palanisswami said, “I follow in the footsteps of MGR, who launched this movement (AIADMK) for the welfare of the people. This campaign is aimed at ending the DMK’s destructive regime.” He urged all parties that seek to remove the DMK from power to join hands with the AIADMK.
Mocking the DMK’s door-to-door membership drive, EPS said, “Stalin’s party has fallen to the point where its supporters must knock on doors to seek members.” He added his tour will also highlight the DMK’s failed election promises and unfulfilled commitments.
When asked about AIADMK’s key election promises, he said, “Revealing them now would dilute their impact. They will be unveiled at the right moment during the campaign.” He further reaffirmed that the AIADMK-led front would form a strong alliance and return to power in 2026, with him as the chief ministerial candidate.
Responding to a question on whether actor Vijay would join the AIADMK alliance, Palaniswami on Saturday said, “It is for Vijay to decide.”
Meanwhile, according to AIADMK sources, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has ordered Z-plus category security for Palaniswami on Saturday (July 5). Until now, he was under Y-category security cover. They further elaborated that in the recent past EPS received three bomb threat calls at his residences in Salem and Chennai, which were later confirmed to be hoaxes after investigation.
In the light of these incidents, his security has now been upgraded.
As per the new arrangement, 55 armed personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) will provide him round-the-clock protection on a rotational basis.
Meanwhile, in Coimbatore, AIADMK minister SP Velumani expressed confidence in Palaniswami’s campaign, ‘Makkalai Kaappom, Thamizhagathai Meetpom’ that starts on Monday, saying it will lead to election results similar to those of the 2011 Assembly election.
As part of a statewide initiative, Palaniswami is set to tour nine districts, covering 21 district units and addressing over 30 public meetings. The campaign aims to lay the groundwork for the 2026 assembly elections.
On Saturday, former Minister and Thondamuthur MLA SP Velumani launched the campaign vehicles at RS Puram.
(With inputs from Coimbatore)