Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, L Murugan, on Monday expressed confidence that AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami’s (EPS) election campaign will lead to a significant political shift in Tamil Nadu. Speaking to reporters at Mettupalayam near Coimbatore, Murugan said the campaign is gaining momentum and could unseat the ruling DMK.“The wave of public support seen during AIADMK’s campaign has instilled fear in Chief Minister MK Stalin. The DMK alliance is crumbling under pressure,” Murugan claimed, suggesting that the political tides are turning in favour of the opposition.
Responding to allegations that the Centre has withheld funds from Tamil Nadu, the minister clarified that the central government has released over ₹11 lakh crore to the state in the past eleven years. “There are no pending dues. All allocated funds have been released. But the DMK government returned unutilised funds meant for Scheduled Castes instead of putting them to proper use,” he said.
Lashing out at the DMK regime, Murugan criticised the government for overburdening the public through increased property tax, electricity tariffs, and registration charges. He also raised concerns about deteriorating law and order in the state, saying, “People who approach police stations to lodge complaints are being assaulted. The police force, under the control of the Chief Minister, has failed in its duty.”
He highlighted the alarming number of custodial deaths in Tamil Nadu, stating, “There have been 24 lock-up deaths in the state. This is a clear indication of the police department’s breakdown under DMK rule.”
On the issue of SC/ST welfare, Murugan said that government-run hostels for marginalised communities are in poor condition. “Instead of improving their facilities, the DMK government is merely renaming them as ‘Social Justice Hostels.’ These cosmetic changes won’t solve the actual problems,” he said.
Murugan’s remarks come as political activity intensifies in the state ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, with the AIADMK-BJP alliance seeking to capitalise on growing public discontent and internal fissures within the ruling DMK.