AIADMK to fight polls for 4 assembly constituencies, says Edappadi K. Palaniswami

AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami at a public meeting at Edappadi in Salem district on Saturday. | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami said on Saturday (June 6, 2026) that the party will fight and win the upcoming by-elections to the four Assembly constituencies where AIADMK MLAs have resigned.

While attending a public meeting held in Edappadi on Saturday evening (June 6, 2026) to thank the voters, Mr Palaniswami said through horse-trading that four AIADMK MLAs had resigned and joined the ruling TVK. They betrayed the party, cadre and voters.

“History will not forgive these four people. Likewise, a few people who became AIADMK MLAs and ministers defected on Saturday. But the cadre did not defect to any party. AIADMK is a cadre-oriented party. In the upcoming by-elections for these four constituencies, AIADMK will contest with the support of alliance parties,” the party alliance said.

Stating that winning and losing is normal in politics, Mr. Palaniswami said that in the recently held assembly elections, the AIADMK won 47 seats and its alliance parties won six seats. The alliance secured roughly 1.35 million votes. In 1991, the DMK won only two seats but came to power in 1996. Similarly, in 1996, the AIADMK won only four seats but came to power again in 2001. “Like a Phoenix, the AIADMK will rise and come to power again,” he said. “TVK won only 108 seats and did not get majority. In eight districts, TVK did not win even one seat. With the help of DMK’s alliance partners, TVK came to power. The government can fall anytime if these parties withdraw their support,” he claimed.

TVK’s billing was the same as DMK’s, Mr. Palaniswami said a cabinet meeting was held on Friday (June 5, 2026) and 436 schemes were discussed, but no details were available on what the schemes were and how much funds were sanctioned for each. “People will soon understand the TVK government,” he said.

Without discussing with the parties supporting the government, TVK gave the Rajya Sabha ticket to the Congress. “The problem has already surfaced in the TVK alliance as Congress Rajya Sabha candidate Praveen Chakravarty himself named the TVK-led alliance as the Tamil Nadu Social Justice Progressive Alliance,” he said.

“Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay claims that honorary IAS and IPS officers were appointed. But these same officers served under the DMK and AIADMK governments. The elected representatives should only run the government, not officials. If officials are capable of running the government, what is the need for a chief minister? TVK was established only three years ago and what have they done for the people? He added that thanks to cinematography, sir, they are now serving the people,” he added.

Published – June 6, 2026 10:23 PM IST