Chennai, March 3 (IANS) AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) has clarified that his recent meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi was focused on coordinating strategy for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections and strengthening the existing alliance framework.
With only a few months left for the Assembly polls, political activity in Tamil Nadu has intensified. The ruling DMK has already initiated seat-sharing negotiations with its allies, while expectations are mounting that the AIADMK will soon begin formal discussions with its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners.
Amid this backdrop, Palaniswami travelled to Delhi on Monday and held a nearly two-hour meeting with Amit Shah, sparking speculation about potential political realignments in the state.
Speaking to reporters at the Delhi airport on Tuesday morning, Palaniswami dismissed rumours of any new political developments beyond alliance coordination.
“I discussed working together in the Tamil Nadu elections with Amit Shah. Our talks were about how to effectively conduct the campaign and strengthen our cooperation,” he said.
Addressing speculation about a possible tie-up with a new party reportedly launched by V.K. Sasikala, Palaniswami categorically denied any such discussion.
“I did not speak about forming an alliance with the new party started by Sasikala,” he asserted, putting to rest conjecture about internal shifts within the AIADMK.
The former Chief Minister described the AIADMK’s alliance as “harmonious and energetic”, expressing confidence that it would mount a strong challenge to the ruling DMK in the 2026 elections.
He emphasised that discussions with HM Shah centred on election management, campaign coordination, and strategic planning.
Palaniswami also took a swipe at the DMK-Congress alliance, suggesting that uncertainty prevailed within the ruling coalition. “There is confusion in the DMK-Congress alliance. I am not sure whether the Congress will remain in that alliance,” he remarked.
As Tamil Nadu moves closer to a high-stakes electoral contest, the meeting between Palaniswami and HM Shah is being seen as a key step in consolidating opposition forces, even as alliance arithmetic and seat-sharing negotiations continue to shape the political landscape.
--IANS
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