Latest news with #Palaniswami
The Hindu
5 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Palaniswami is NDA's chief ministerial candidate for 2026 T.N. Assembly polls: G.K. Vasan
Former Union Minister and Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) president G.K. Vasan said on Saturday (June 28, 2025) that AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami is the leader of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Tamil Nadu as well as its chief ministerial candidate for the 2026 Assembly elections. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a party function in Salem, Mr. Vasan said there were no issues within the NDA and that it remained a 'strong and victorious alliance.' He alleged that the ruling DMK was trying to create confusion within the NDA. Mr. Vasan added that Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during his visit to Chennai, had clarified the alliance's position, and BJP State president Nainar Nagenthran had also clarified who the NDA leader in Tamil Nadu is, and who the chief ministerial candidate would be. Responding to a question about Mr. Shah not naming Mr. Palaniswami as the chief ministerial candidate in a recent interview, Mr. Vasan said the Union Minister had announced the alliance with the AIADMK by having Mr. Palaniswami seated next to him. Regarding political parties' demand for a coalition government in Tamil Nadu, Mr. Vasan said that there is discussion about the idea among parties in both the ruling and Opposition alliances, and that there is nothing wrong with it. Responding to a question on whether actor Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) would be a part of the NDA, Mr. Vasan said that the aim was to unseat the 'anti-people' DMK government. 'So, people who are against the DMK should unite in a single alliance,' he said. Denying allegations that the BJP is weakening regional parties, the TMC president said the party is currently ruling many States across the country, while the Congress is steadily losing its strength. Blaming another party for internal issues is merely an attempt to hide their own failures and fear of electoral defeat, Mr. Vasan added.
New Indian Express
11 hours ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Palaniswami to launch election tour from Coimbatore on July 7
Already, DMK president and Chief Minister MK Stalin has been visiting many districts to inaugurate completed developmental works and lay the foundation for new projects, apart from holding roadshows without fail to meet the people. Besides, TVK president and actor Vijay is also planning to commence his statewide tour in August from the Cauvery delta area, targeting the farming community. Palaniswami has been attacking the DMK government on almost every issue, and his main target has been the law and order. During the recent months, Palaniswami met district secretaries many times to review the preparations for the Assembly elections and strengthening of the party's IT wing. Significantly, during the past few months, the AIADMK has been staging agitations on people's issues in various parts of the state. Meanwhile, Palaniswami also announced key appointments in the party apparatus. On Friday, Palaniswami appointed former MP T G Venkateshbabu as one of the organising secretaries. Purasai V S Babu, former MLA, has been made the North Chennai North (West) district's secretary. Babu replaces Venkatesh Babu. In Kanniyakumari district, R Jeyasudharshan has been made Kanniyakumari West district secretary, while D John Thangam has been made organising secretary. Madras HC seeks ECI's reply on AIADMK plea Chennai: The Madras High Court on Friday directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to submit its reply by a week on the petition filed by AIADMK praying for directions to the poll body to take an expeditious decision on the issue of its (ECI) jurisdiction to enquire about the representations submitted by two former MPs and others for freezing the Two Leaves symbol until the internal dispute cases are decided by the civil courts. A division bench of Justices R Subramaniam and K Surendar issued the direction and adjourned the hearing to July 4. Senior counsel Vijay Narayan, appearing for the AIADMK, submitted that about eight weeks have passed by since the high court issued orders to the ECI to decide (within two weeks) on its jurisdiction, but no decision has been taken so far. Prolongation of the matter by the ECI would give an opportunity to the anti-party elements to utilise the situation against the party, he said, adding that the issue would cause inconvenience to the party since it has to prepare for the 2026 polls. ENS
The Hindu
19 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Palaniswami to begin tour of Tamil Nadu on July 7 as part of poll campaign
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami is set to undertake a tour of the State from Coimbatore on July 7. As part of the first phase of the Makkalai Kaappom, Thamizhagathai Meetpom campaign, he is scheduled to visit 34 Assembly constituencies. Between July 7 and 21, Mr. Palaniswami will visit Coimbatore, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, and Villupuram districts, a press release said. The party has also announced an agitation against alleged inefficient administration of the municipal corporation in Kumbakonam on July 7. In another release, Mr. Palaniswami named former MP T.G. Venkateshbabu and D. John Thangam as the party's organisation secretaries. Former legislator Purasai V.S. Babu was named the secretary of party's north Chennai northwest district unit and R. Jayasudharshan was named secretary of the party's Kanniyakumari West district unit.
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Will always uphold Anna's legacy: Edappadi K Palaniswami
CHENNAI: Joining issue with Chief Minister M K Stalin's charge that the AIADMK had mortgaged the name of Dravidian icon Arignar Anna, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday asked whether Stalin and the DMK have any locus standi to utter the name of Anna. He also said the AIADMK would not relinquish its connection with Anna, not even for a moment. Earlier in the day, speaking at a public function at Tirupathur, the CM criticised the screening of 'disgraceful' videos about great leaders at the Murugan Maanadu, and said that those from the AIADMK, which has Anna in their party name, at the conference remained a mute spectator and mortgaged the name of Anna. 'Today, they have mortgaged their party. Tomorrow, we should not allow them to mortgage Tamil Nadu,' Stalin added. Reacting to this, Palaniswami said since former CM M Karunanidhi 'had destroyed the principles of Anna', the late leader M G Ramachandran launched the AIADMK to safeguard the noble principles of Anna. 'We will not relinquish the legacy of the great scholar and statesman Anna,' he added. Palaniswami said starting from Katchatheevu to Cauvery, it was the DMK which mortgaged the rights of TN. 'The self-respecting people of TN will most certainly oust the double-faced DMK in 2026!' he added. Palaniswami also promised the people of TN that he would restore peace, prosperity, development, and the rights of the state, 'which have been lost due to the DMK', in 2026. 'This is my first electoral promise to the people of TN,' he added.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Palaniswami slams Stalin, asks if DMK has locus standi to utter Anna's name
AIADMK top leader Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday wondered if Chief Minister MK Stalin and the DMK had locus standi to utter Dravidian icon C N Annadurai's name and slammed the CM for 'speaking politics in government function.' The AIADMK top leader yet again blamed the DMK for "family rule" .(PTI file photo) Palaniswami's tirade follows Stalin's "AIADMK has mortgaged the name of Anna itself," jibe. Alleging that the chief minister did nothing for the people during the past 4-year rule of the DMK, Palaniswami said the AIADMK was founded by late leader M G Ramachandran in 1972 as Karunanidhi "buried Anna's ideology" and transformed the DMK into a "family camp," for loot. Further, the leader of opposition said: 'We will not give up Anna even for a day, even a minute, who lives not only in our party's name and flag, but also in our blood.' The AIADMK top leader yet again blamed the DMK for "family rule" and said it went against the ideology of Anna who founded the DMK in 1949. Stalin, who has only "commission, collection and corruption as policy," need not lecture the AIADMK on Periyar and Anna, Palaniswami said. The former chief minister vowed that "peace, prosperity, growth and state rights, lost due to the DMK," would be retrieved by him following a win in the 2026 Assembly election. He said this was his first poll assurance. In a government event at Tirupathur near Vellore, the chief minister, without naming the BJP or any Right wing outfit, said they were trying hard to cause confusion. Invoking the legacy of Periyar, Anna and Karunanidhi, and hailing them for nurturing and shaping the state, Stalin said: "You (Hindu Munnani/BJP) are playing video trivializing such leaders! When such a video clip was played, the mute spectators were those who run their party in the name of Anna, the DMK president hit out at the AIADMK, the archrival. "They (AIADMK) have mortgaged the name of Anna itself. Those who have mortgaged their party, should not be allowed to mortgage Tamil Nadu tomorrow," he said and urged the people to understand the objective of the conspiracy against Tamil Nadu and its people and teach a fitting lesson to the AIADMK and BJP. Annadurai passed away on February 3, 1969. He was the chief minister from 1967 till 1969.
