Edappadi K. Palaniswami, general secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), on Tuesday dismissed Chief Minister M. K. Stalin’s remark describing the AIADMK-led front as a “zero alliance,” asserting instead that it would be the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) that scores “zero” in the upcoming Assembly elections.
Speaking in the Maduravoyal constituency during his ‘Makkalai Kaapom, Tamizhgathai Meetpom’ campaign tour, Palaniswami alleged that Stalin had announced a Rs 5,000 financial assistance scheme out of fear of electoral defeat. He claimed the scheme had failed to make an impact and described it as “not a super hit,” while asserting that his promise of providing Rs 10,000 to the people would prove to be the real “super hit” among voters.
The AIADMK leader further accused the DMK government of making announcements that existed only on paper, alleging that several schemes had not been implemented. Taking a swipe at the Chief Minister, he remarked sarcastically that Stalin deserved a “Nobel Prize” for naming schemes without executing them.
Palaniswami also criticised Stalin for framing the forthcoming polls as a contest between Tamil Nadu and the NDA, arguing that the election was for the State Assembly and not a national-level battle. He claimed that Tamil Nadu had turned into a hub of protests under the DMK regime and alleged that the ruling party was dependent on its alliance partners for political survival, accusing them of functioning like “slaves” to the DMK leadership.
Expressing confidence in the AIADMK alliance, he said it was united solely to defeat the DMK and predicted that voters would remove the ruling party from power. Questioning the stability of the DMK–Congress partnership, he pointed to recurring reports of differences between the two parties. He also highlighted public concerns such as rising prices, increased property tax, and escalating construction material costs.
Alleging financial mismanagement, Palaniswami claimed that Tamil Nadu had become a leading state only in terms of borrowing, asserting that the state’s debt had surged to nearly Rs 5 lakh crore over the past five years due to corruption under the DMK government.