As his meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah has set off speculations regarding electoral tie-up, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Wednesday asserted that alliances are formed only at the time of elections and declined to categorically say if his party would align or not with the Bharatiya Janata Party for the 2026 assembly polls.
He also wondered if any party had maintained a 'permanent' stand applicable to all times.
Briefing reporters in New Delhi on meeting Shah on Tuesday along with party leaders, Palaniswami said his party brought to the notice of the minister several issues faced by Tamil Nadu.
"We have urged expeditious release of funds, the release of which is delayed."
The former chief minister said he sought release of pending funds to Tamil Nadu from the Union government under schemes including the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and those related to education (SSA).
"Tamil Nadu is continuously following the 2-language policy and it should be continued. Also, the proposed delimitation of Parliamentary constituencies should be done in a manner that does not adversely impact Tamil Nadu," he said.
The Godavari-Cauvery river linking plan should be expeditiously implemented and funds must be released for the Nadanthai Vazhi Cauvery scheme. The Centre should not allow the construction of Mekedatu dam across Cauvery river and must act only as per the Supreme Court order.
Raising the water level in Mullaiperiyar dam to 152 ft by strengthening the reservoir, expediting railway projects in Tamil Nadu, a thorough probe into the Rs 1,000 crore "TASMAC scam" to bring to justice the guilty were among the demands made to the Centre, Palaniswami, the top leader of Tamil Nadu's principal opposition party said.
Deterioration of law and order situation in the state and crimes against women and children were the other issues underscored in a representation presented to Amit Shah on AIADMK's behalf, Palaniswami said.
Be it the "prevalence" of drugs, Rs 1,000 crore TASMAC 'scam' being probed by the Enforcement Directorate, Shah listened to such issues patiently and has assured all necessary support to Tamil Nadu, Palaniswami said adding the Centre was persuaded to put a full stop to such travails of Tamil Nadu.
When asked about his meeting with Shah on Tuesday and the possibility of an electoral alliance with the BJP, he wondered if election has been announced and asked the need to answer 'yes' or 'no' to the question of forming alliance.
A decision on alliance would be taken only at the time of elections, he said and asked scribes to recall the timing of announcement on forging of alliances for past elections; be it the 2019 Lok Sabha or the 2021 Assembly election. AIADMK and BJP had faced both elections as allies.
"Alliances change as per the demands of circumstances and these are different from ideology and policies, which are permanent," he said.
He wondered if the parties that form part of the DMK-led alliance would be part of the ruling party-led bloc for all the time and underscored that it was not so.
He affirmed that alliances change as per the political situation. Elections are due only next March, he said and asked if a comment on alliance was needed now "one year before," and blamed "sensationalism" in media.
Against the background of the AIADMK leaders including him, time and again dismissing the scope for an alliance with the BJP, ever since it snapped ties with the Saffron party in 2023, the former CM said the state assembly election is due only after a year and it was hence, premature to comment about alliances.
Asked whether an inference could be drawn that the AIADMK had concluded a poll deal with the BJP, he said: "Only the media is saying that, there is nothing of its sort; we are here out and out for the sake of addressing the people's problems and one year is left for the election and claims related to alliances are mere speculations."
The 45-minute meeting was about the people's issues and projects including the Nadanthai Vazhi Cauvery were individually taken up for discussion. The Delhi visit was primarily to inspect the newly inaugurated (through video conferencing by Palaniswami from Chennai) AIADMK office.
"We thought we will meet him (Amit Shah) if we get an appointment and we got and we discussed people's issues." Whether the party is in power or in Opposition does not matter and the goal is to serve the people and address their issues and the AIADMK is fully committed to it, he said.
On Palaniswami meeting Shah, expelled AIADMK leader and former CM O Panneerselvam said: "Ellam Nanmaikkey (Everything is for good)."
AIADMK leaders including M Thambidurai and C Ve Shanmugam accompanied Palaniswami when he called on Shah in Delhi.
On his arrival in Chennai, when reporters pointed to his statement that there would be no electoral tie-up with the BJP and whether the AIADMK would stick to its commitment, he wondered if any party had maintained a 'permanent' stand applicable to all times. He asked if parties aligned with the DMK had a permanent stand and ruled out possibility for an all-time stand.
"This is politics and changes may be there based on political situation," he said and asked how a definitive stand could be spelt out now. "Our only goal is to defeat the anti-people DMK and the party will take all steps for that," he said.
© 2025