Chief Minister MK Stalin at an election campaign meeting in Tirunelveli on Friday. | Photo credit: SHAIKMOHIDEEN A
: DMK President and Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday said that AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami had no right or locus standi to comment on his relationship with his father, the late Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.
He also reiterated that Mr Palaniswami-led AIADMK, “which has lost 10 elections (since 2017, including local bodies)”, would never be able to win power again.
“You cannot come to power as long as Kalaignar (M Karunanidhi) supporters are here. People have already decided that DMK should be elected to save Tamil Nadu,” Mr Stalin said.
Responding to Mr. Palaniswami’s claim that he kept his father under house arrest, Mr. Stalin said that it was Kalaignar who gave him life and made him what he is today. “He claims without any doubt that I kept him (M Karunanidhi) under house arrest,” he said amid shouts of “traitor Palaniswami” from the crowd at a campaign rally in Tirunelveli.
Mr. Stalin said that Mr. Palaniswami was gripped by the fear of defeat and that he had crossed the line. “As the leader of the opposition, you have the right to criticize my performance as chief minister. People will consider your criticism in the elections and give a befitting reply. But you have no right to say a word about my relationship with my father,” Mr Stalin said.
“What do you know about Kalaignara? He was a lion. He had millions of followers and he cast a spell on them with his words, ‘En Uyirinum Melana Anbu Udan Pirappukale.'” Even though he was confined to his house due to old age and lost his memory, he uttered the word ‘Anna’ (CN Annadurai) when the doctors asked him whom he loved the most. He wanted to visit Arivalayam and Murasoli office even though he was not well. No one can keep him under house arrest,” he continued.
He added that Mr. Palaniswami had no right to utter the name of Kalaignar, who served as the chief minister of the state five times. and was its longest serving Chief Minister. “His last wish was to be buried near his leader Anna. Mr. Palaniswami, I came to your house and pleaded (with you) to allocate a place for him, not because he is my father but because he is my leader. Did you agree? You have no locus standi to talk about my leader,” he said.
Mr. Stalin alleged that Mr. Palaniswami betrayed VK Sasikala, who made him Chief Minister, and stabbed AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran and former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam. “But the DMK supported the AIADMK resolution in the Assembly and did without the presence of the then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa (during her hospitalization). That is the difference between you and us,” he said.
Recalling the various achievements of the DMK government in the last five years and the schemes announced and implemented for Tirunelveli district, Mr. Stalin said one of the important programs was the ₹100 crore library named after Quaid-e-Milleth.
He said he would not forget what Kalaignar had promised. “I have come to contest for your vote with the confidence that I have introduced and announced plans for Tirunelveli district. But Mr. Palaniswami, who has ruined Tamil Nadu and betrayed the interests of the state, is seeking your votes,” he said.
He added that Mr. Palaniswami had already realized that people had given up on him. “That is why he is copying our schemes and announcing them as if they are new. He said Magalir Urimai’s scheme cannot be implemented, but in the last election he announced it as a promise after it was widely accepted.”
He also translated the song Super Staru yaarunu ketta chinna kuzhanthaiyum sollum by star Rajinikanth to reiterate that the DMK manifesto is the election superstar.
Published – 04 Apr 2026 0:42 IST
