EPS says ready to welcome Vijay’s TVK to join AIADMK alliance

In a significant political development in Tamil Nadu, AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) on Saturday (July 5) expressed openness to an alliance with Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), led by actor-turned-politician Vijay, provided it aligns with AIADMK’s goals.

Also read: TVK sounds poll bugle with Vijay as CM face: Will he make it? | Talking Sense With Srini

This comes in the wake of Vijay’s firm stance against aligning with the BJP. Palaniswami, addressing the media after launching the logo and campaign song for his statewide tour titled ‘Save the People, Reclaim Tamil Nadu’ at the AIADMK headquarters in Royapettah, Chennai, emphasised that a partnership with like-minded parties, including TVK, would be welcomed to counter the ruling DMK.

Amit Shah's statement

Commenting on Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent statement about forming a coalition government, Palaniswami refrained from direct remarks, stating it would be inappropriate to comment on senior BJP leader’s views. However, he noted that Shah had clearly endorsed an AIADMK-led alliance with Palaniswami as the Chief Ministerial candidate for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

Also read: TVK declares Vijay as party's CM candidate in 2026 TN Assembly poll

“BJP’s Delhi leadership makes the decisions. What others in the party say after Shah’s statement is irrelevant,” Palaniswami asserted, signalling confidence in AIADMK’s leadership role in any future coalition.

Statewide tour

Palaniswami announced that his statewide tour, commencing on July 7, will cover all 234 constituencies in Tamil Nadu, and the campaign aims to expose the “atrocities” of the DMK’s governance under Chief Minister M K Stalin and highlight unfulfilled promises.

Also read: Stalin slams BJP for ‘Hindi imposition’, lauds Maharashtra’s resistance

“From young girls to the elderly, no one is safe under this regime. Law and order have collapsed, as evident from daily news reports,” Palaniswami said, underscoring the campaign’s objective to bring about a “massive change” by rallying public support.

Quoting AIADMK founder M G Ramachandran and former leader J Jayalalithaa, he emphasised the party’s legacy of serving the people.

“Anna said, ‘Go to the people, live with them, learn from them, love them’. I have always been among the people, listening to their voices,” he said, refuting claims that his public outreach is a new initiative.

Palaswami slams DMK

He also dismissed discussions on the two-leaves symbol, stating that the Supreme Court had already ruled in AIADMK’s favour, and the party contested the recent parliamentary elections based on that verdict.

Palaniswami criticised the DMK’s “false promises” and vowed to address district-specific issues during his tour. He extended an invitation to alliance partners to join the campaign, noting that DMDK has indicated it will announce its alliance plans in January.

On Vijay’s recent criticism of AIADMK, he downplayed it as a natural part of political growth, reiterating his openness to uniting all parties opposing the DMK.

'AIADMK will form government'

Addressing a recent incident involving the death of a temple watchman in Madapuram, Palaniswami demanded justice and promised to meet the victim’s mother during his Sivaganga campaign.

He called for a CBI probe to uncover the truth behind the incident, alleging involvement of those in power. He expressed confidence in forming a strong coalition, predicting that more parties would join the AIADMK-BJP alliance ahead of the 2026 elections.

“We will win a majority and form the government with a thumping mandate,” he declared, setting the stage for a high-stakes political battle in Tamil Nadu.