Palaniswami heralds AIADMK-BJP win in Tamil Nadu, DMK under fire
Palaniswami heralds AIADMK-BJP win in Tamil Nadu, DMK under fire
AIADMK chief Palaniswami claims the DMK regime has lost public trust and predicts a strong AIADMK-BJP victory in 2026, citing past vote trends and welfare measures.
At a bustling AIADMK executive committee and general council meeting held at Vanagaram near Chennai, general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami asserted that the DMK government had lost the confidence of the people. He claimed the AIADMK-led alliance would secure a simple majority and form the government in the 2026 Assembly elections, presenting it as a foregone conclusion amid growing opposition to the DMK.
He framed a bold forecast, noting that the AIADMK-BJP combine currently stands at 41.33% vote share, the result of adding the AIADMK's 23.05% and the BJP's 18.28% from the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. From this base, Palaniswami said the alliance would win a minimum of 84 Assembly segments, translating to as many as 210 seats in 2026, depending on the electoral dynamics.
Palaniswami also invoked historical voting patterns to differentiate between Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. He pointed out that in 2019, the AIADMK-led alliance was ahead in only two Assembly seats within 39 Lok Sabha constituencies. By contrast, in the 2021 Assembly elections, the alliance had secured 75 seats, underscoring a potential shift in voter calculations this time around.
On governance and performance, he argued that only about one-fourth of the DMK’s poll promises from the 2021 campaign had been fulfilled in the last four-and-a-half years. He contrasted that with criticism of the DMK’s welfare moves, noting that AIADMK previously implemented several welfare schemes for women, while contending the DMK introduced a ₹1,000 monthly honorarium for women only after sustained pressure from various quarters.
Towards the end, Palaniswami touched on internal NDA dynamics, noting ongoing chatter about the possible return of expelled leaders OPS and TTV Dhinakaran to the NDA fold ahead of a crucial AIADMK executive committee meeting. While the dialogue continues, he framed it as part of the broader political milieu shaping Tamil Nadu ahead of the next electoral test.
Overall, the remarks set a combative tone for the party as it gears up for internal deliberations and the road to the 2026 Assembly polls, arguing that the electorate’s sentiment is swinging in favor of the AIADMK-BJP alliance.
Cover image source: Stalin rattled by AIADMK-BJP alliance, says Palaniswami 🔗
